Blogger Phan Kim Khanh
by Defend the Defenders, October 8, 2017
Vietnam’s authorities will soon hold a trial against blogger Phan Kim Khanh with allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code, according to his lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Mr. Khanh, who was arrested on March 21 while taking under-graduate course in Thai Nguyen University, was permitted to meet with lawyer Son on September 20 to prepare for his defense after six months being held incommunicado.
Lawyer Son said Khanh’s health is normal and there was no sign of being tortured.
Khanh is facing heavy imprisonment of up to 20 years in jail, if convicted, according to Vietnam’s current law.
Khanh, who is an excellent second-year student and president of the Student Association of the university’s International Studies Faculty, was said by police to manage two blogs namely “Bao Tham nhung” (Corruption Newspaper” and “Tuan bao Viet Nam” (Vietnam Weekly) and three Facebook accounts namely “Bao Tham nhung,” “Tuan bao Viet Nam” and “Dan chu TV” (Democracy TV) as well as two Youtube channels namely “Viet Bao TV” and “Vietnam Online.” Vietnam’s authorities said Khanh used these social networks to propagandize anti-state information.
Police also said that Khanh had contacted with people considered by the authorities as anti-reactionary individuals, including former political prisoner Nguyen Van Hai (aka Dieu Cay), who is living in exile in the U.S. after spending years in Vietnam’s prison.
Khanh was said to participate in managing some websites of the Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a U.S.-based pro-democracy group considered as a terrorist organization by Vietnam’s government. Activists said the websites and Facebook accounts managed by Khanh are providing real news on Vietnam, particularly on the country’s systemic corruption, the issue the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam vows to deal with.
Khanh comes from a poor family with two old parents. He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
In July-September, Vietnam imprisoned three activists namely Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (Mothermushroom), Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first two were convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 and sentenced to ten years and nine years in prison, respectively while Mr. Oai was sentenced to five years in jail and four years under house arrest on allegation of “failing to execute sentences” under Article 304 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 245 of the Penal Code.
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as 79, 88, and 258 of the national security provisions of the Penal Code to silence local dissidents, human rights advocates, social activists and online bloggers.
According to international human rights organizations, Vietnam is holding over 100 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it is imprisoning only law violators.
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October 8, 2017
Annti-corruption Blogger Phan Kim Khanh to Be Tried Soon
by Nhan Quyen • Phan Kim Khanh
Blogger Phan Kim Khanh
by Defend the Defenders, October 8, 2017
Vietnam’s authorities will soon hold a trial against blogger Phan Kim Khanh with allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code, according to his lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Mr. Khanh, who was arrested on March 21 while taking under-graduate course in Thai Nguyen University, was permitted to meet with lawyer Son on September 20 to prepare for his defense after six months being held incommunicado.
Lawyer Son said Khanh’s health is normal and there was no sign of being tortured.
Khanh is facing heavy imprisonment of up to 20 years in jail, if convicted, according to Vietnam’s current law.
Khanh, who is an excellent second-year student and president of the Student Association of the university’s International Studies Faculty, was said by police to manage two blogs namely “Bao Tham nhung” (Corruption Newspaper” and “Tuan bao Viet Nam” (Vietnam Weekly) and three Facebook accounts namely “Bao Tham nhung,” “Tuan bao Viet Nam” and “Dan chu TV” (Democracy TV) as well as two Youtube channels namely “Viet Bao TV” and “Vietnam Online.” Vietnam’s authorities said Khanh used these social networks to propagandize anti-state information.
Police also said that Khanh had contacted with people considered by the authorities as anti-reactionary individuals, including former political prisoner Nguyen Van Hai (aka Dieu Cay), who is living in exile in the U.S. after spending years in Vietnam’s prison.
Khanh was said to participate in managing some websites of the Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a U.S.-based pro-democracy group considered as a terrorist organization by Vietnam’s government. Activists said the websites and Facebook accounts managed by Khanh are providing real news on Vietnam, particularly on the country’s systemic corruption, the issue the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam vows to deal with.
Khanh comes from a poor family with two old parents. He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
In July-September, Vietnam imprisoned three activists namely Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (Mothermushroom), Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first two were convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 and sentenced to ten years and nine years in prison, respectively while Mr. Oai was sentenced to five years in jail and four years under house arrest on allegation of “failing to execute sentences” under Article 304 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 245 of the Penal Code.
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as 79, 88, and 258 of the national security provisions of the Penal Code to silence local dissidents, human rights advocates, social activists and online bloggers.
According to international human rights organizations, Vietnam is holding over 100 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it is imprisoning only law violators.