Report on HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS in VIETNAM 2017

Report on HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS in VIETNAM 2017 

Authors:

Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, Catholic Priest Phan Van Loi, Buddhist Ven. Thich Khong Tanh,

Pham Ba Hai (MBE), Lawyer Le Cong Dinh,

Journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, Engineer Le Thang Long.

*Translation by Vu Quoc Ngu

Preface

The year 2017 is the worsest year for Vietnam’s dissent with the official arrest of at least 43 human rights activists.

Plainclothes agents and pro-government thugs carried out a number of physical assaults targetting political dissidents and people who disagree with government’s policies. These attacks were brutal and severe, conducted in day lights with witness of uniformed police.

The communist government enhanced surveillance over activists. Authorities in many localities deployed police officers, plainclothes agents and militia to private residences of local activists to place them de facto under house arrest in many occasions, including various international and domestic anniversaries as well as during visits of foreign leaders. Most of meetings of activists were troubled and interrupted by security forces.

The report of Vietnam Human Rights Violations was made from data collected from members of the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, activists and victims. Only the most serious cases which published on the net were classified and reported. There are many cases without publication may be out of the report.

The Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience calls on the Vietnamese government to respect basic rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which Vietnam is a signatory party, including the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association, and movement.

The Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience calls on Vietnam’s trade partners to raise human rights issues while negotiaing free trade agreements with Vietnam, requesting Vietnam’s government recognize independent civil societies and allow local people to freely express their opinions.

Email: prisonersofconscience@fvpoc.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cuutunhanluongtam

Website: http://fvpoc.org/

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THE MOST SERIOUS CASES

1. Former prisoner of conscience Pham Thanh Nghien barred from foreign trip

On January 13, former prisoner of conscience Phạm Thanh Nghiên was stopped by security forces in Moc Bai international gate in Tay Ninh province when she was on her way to escore her father-in-law to leave Vietnam for medical treatment.

Speaking in an interview with RFA when she was held in the gate, Mrs. Nghien said: “I am in the Moc Bai international gate. I planned to escore my father to Bangkok for medical treatment and visit my husband’s brother and sister. However, security officers said that I am on the list of travel ban but did not elaborate the reason for the ban.”

Mrs. Nghien, 38, was arrested in August 2009 and in January 2010, she was sentenced to four years in prison and three years under house arrest on allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda.”

2. Police in Nghe An kidnapped former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Van Oai

At 10 PM of January 10, authorities in Nghe An province deployed around 20 police officers, plainclothes agent to kidnap former prisoners of conscience Nguyễn Văn Oai when he went for fishing.

According to his wife: “Nguyen Xuan Doan, the police chief of Quynh Vinh commune, Quynh Luu district, informed my family that Oai was arrested by the provincial police with two charges “resisting on-duty officers” and “violation of implementing prison sentence.”

Oai had been sentenced to four years in prison and four years of probation on allegation of subversion under Article 79 of the country’s Penal Code 1999. He was freed on August 2, 2015.

Since being released, he had been placed under close surveillace. Along with harassing him and his family, police also disturbed his family’s economic activities.

3. Activist Huynh Cong Thuan assaulted

In the morning of January 19, Mr. Huỳnh Công Thuận was attacked by thugs when he rode his motorbike to the Ky Dong Redemptorist Church in Ho Chi Minh City to work as a volunteer of the church’s Justice & Peace Department.

From early morning, his wife school teacher Thanh Hai recognized some strangers near their house private residence. When he left his house on his motorbike, he got suspisious when he sow them so he called by telephone Lieutenant Le Huu Anh Tuan (0903775769), the police head of Phu Huu ward, District 9. Tuan received a call but took no response. After that, Thuan was kicked out of his motorbike by the strangers who continued to beat him and destroyed his vehicle. Thuan successfully returned back to his house after calling for help but received no response.

4. Activist Tran Thi Nga arrested

Ms. Trần Thị Nga, who was often criticizing the government, was arrested in her native province of Ha Nam on January 21 on charge of “conducting anti-state propaganda.”

According to a video clip circulated on social media, Nga was held by two women in plainclothes while listening to police officers in uniform read the arrest order.

In her Facebook account, there are many pictures showing Nga’s participation in peaceful demonstrations protesting the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant which discharged a huge volume of toxic industrial waste into Vietnam’s central waters and caused the devastating environmental disaster in the central coast in 2016, as well as anti-China protests objecting China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea.

5. Nguyen Van Hoa arrested on charge of Abusing democratic freedom

Nguyễn Văn Hoá, a 22-year-old citizen journalist covering news on the Formosa environmental disaster and anti-Formosa peaceful demonstrations, was detained on January 11 on charge of “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 258 of the Penal Code.

Hoa’s family said the Ky Khang commune police handed over the arrest warrant to the family. Mrs. Duong Thi Thanh, mother of the activist, said: “When I went to the communal police to inform them for my son’s disappearance and they handed over the arrest warrant to me.”

6. Security officers blocked Catholic priest Phan Van Loi, not allowing him to go to church

On February 2, security officers in plain clothes blocked Catholic priest Phan Văn Lợi, not allowing him to go to a local church to conduct a mass offering together with other priests in a local church in Hue diosece.

Father Loi said he has been placed under house arrest in recent months. The police blockage was suspended only in five days during the Lunar New Year.

“I told them that I am going to conduct a mass offering and questioned them why they are stopping me and who are they, whether they are police officers. Of course I know they are because I recognized them many times surveing me. I requested them to show me the order of the blockage but they denied, saying they are not policemen. I told them that I know they are subordinates of Lieutenant Tran Hong Lam from the Thua Thien-Hue province’s Department of Public Security who is on charge of Christian community in Hue City.”

According to Father Loi, the police blockage may be related to his support given to the Thien An Monastery where the local authorities are seeking to confiscate more land while refusing to return the monastery’s land borrowed after 1975.

7. Anti-Formosa activist assaulted

Mrs.Nguyễn Thị Thái Lai from Nha Trang City, one of anti-Formosa activists, was brutally attacked by four thugs on the evening of February 2.

While going with a friend for a dinner in Van Thanh ward, she was beaten until falling into unconscious. Speaking with RFA on the afternoon of February 13, she said:

“I still feel great pain due to their attacks on my face and my body. This is not the first time they attacked me. Last year they kicked of my vehicle. I was summoned to police station many times after protesting China and Formosa by participating in peaceful demonstrations and posting protests on social media. Police follow people coming from other place to meet me. I can only condemn their attack to inform people, however, the attackers will not be punished. I called the province’s police but they said they did not send police to conduct the attack.”

After getting medical treatment, Lai went to the Van Thanh ward police station to report the attack, she recognized the attackers inside the station and having discussions with police officers. Thai said this is the 4th attack on her carried out by thugs.

8. Nghe An deploy security forces to block local residents from challenging Formosa

On February 20, the Office of the Vinh Diocese issued a press release condemning the Nghe An province’s deployment of security forces to block local residents from filling lawsuits against Formosa. The blockage violates human rights and civil rights enshrined in international and domestic law. The violent attack of the security forces against residents affected the health and lives as well as belief of residents, the statement said.

9. Protestant pastor Nguyen Trung Ton kidnapped, beaten and robbed

On February 27, 2017, Nguyễn Trung Tôn and Nguyen Viet Tu were taking a bus from Quang Thing commune, Thanh Hoa province to Ba Don town, Quang Binh province. Upon arrival, a group of seven or eight young men in civilian clothing attacked them and dragged the duo into a van. According to Nguyen Trung Ton:

“The men took our belongings, stripped our clothes off, covered our heads with our jackets and beat us repeatedly with iron tubes. They did not tell us any reason. The van moved and they continued to beat us [in the van]. There was a driver and at least six other men. Three beat me and three beat Nguyen Viet Tu. I did not know which direction the van went, but it stopped at a deserted area. The men dragged us out of the van. I saw that it was by the side of a mountain, next to a cement drainage ditch. They continued to use iron tubes to beat me and used their shoes to crush my toes. They used iron sticks to strike my feet until they bled. I felt great pain and couldnt move my legs.”

The men later abandoned Nguyen Trung Ton and Nguyen Viet Tu in a deserted forest in Ha Tinh province.

10. Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc files denunciation and lawsuit against Nghe An government

On March 3, Catholic priest JB Nguyễn Đình Thục, head of the Song Ngoc parish in Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province denunciated and filled a lawsuit challenging the province’s blockage and assaults and rob assets of many residents on February 14 when they were on their way to launch lawsuits against Formosa.

According to Father Thuc: “The environmental disaster caused by Formosa’s discharge of industrial waste into the central waters has affected the livelihood of fishermen in Quynh Luu district and the local authorities promised to provide compensations for the affected resident. However, when people listed their losses for compensation, cadres turned down so affected fishemen were forced to challenge Formosa. However, on February 14, when Formosa’s victims went to Ha Tinh to submit their lawsuits, authorities in Nghe An blocked them, beating them and robbing them. Today I filled my denunciation to condemn illegal acts of the Nghe An authorities.”

In his denunciation letter, priest Thuc condemned the suppression of the Nghe An authorities against people who excersise their basic rights guaranted by the country’s laws, as well as saying the People’s Committee of Nghe An asked the local media to defame him and followers.

11. Vu Quang Thuan, Nguyen Van Dien arrested for posting video clips on social media

According to the state media, on March 3, security forces in Hanoi arrested Vu Quang Thuan and Nguyen Van Dien on charge of producing and diseminating many “toxic” video clips on Internet.

Police detained the two activists and searched their private residence, taking many items. Police later charged them of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the 1999 Penal Code. The two activists are members of Reviving Vietnam Campaign. In their recent livestreams posted on their Facebook accounts, the duo talked about issues considered “sensitive” about late President Ho Chi Minh, Formosa and the dictatorship of the ruling communist party.

12. Two young environmentalists beaten while participating in peaceful demonstration

Blogger Nguyen Peng interviewed two environmentalists who were beaten while participating in a peaceful demonstration regarding environmental pollution. Activists Trường Sang and Chị Ly shared that “As far as Vietnam’s authorities are causing environmental pollution we will continue to fight for clean environment for the nation.”

Ly was said to diseminate liflefts writen in English to help foreigners understand Vietnam’s environmental pollution while Luong Truong Sang protected female demonstrators from police’s attacks.

13. Vung Tau police detain activists who marking 19th anniversary of Gac Ma loss to China

At 8 PM of March 10, activists members of Le Hieu Dang Club started their week-long tribute to 64 fallen soldiers killed by China in Gac Ma on March 14, 1988.

After activists released flowers on waters in Vung Tau province, around 50 police officers and militia blocked the group and detained them to a police station. Police robbed their items, including cell phones and questioned them for hours before releasing them on late afternon of the same day.

14. Authorities in Hue continue persecution against Thien An Monastery

On March 13, the Good News for the Poor (GNsP) reported that authorities in Thua Thien-Hue continued harassing the Thien An Monastery, slandering and threatening its clergies and followers.

Clergies watching the monastery’s orange garden said a group of around ten thugs coming with their motorbikes to cause disturbances and harasments on clergies living in the area.

When clergies carried out some construction works to improve the monastery’s infrastructure, local cadres and police came to order cancelation, saying they have to get approval from local authorities for construction works on the land of the monastery.

The standoff between the monastery and authorities in Hue started in 2015 when clergies built the Cross in a pine forest on the land of the monastery. Local authorities sent police to demolish the Cross with the Jesus statue and threw the remains in the pine forest. Clergies collected the remains and brought back to the original place which became a famous destination of Catholic followers nationwide.

15. Activists Do Thanh Van and Nguyen Viet Dung assaulted

Informed that one of their friends was held in a police station in Bach Khoa ward, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi, activists Do Thanh Van and Nguyen Viet Dung (aka Dung Phi Ho) wen to visit him. Upon arrival, they were beaten by military veterans, militia and thugs under witness of police officers from the ward.

The detention and the attacks against the two activists were taken after the activists marked the fallen soldiers in Gac Ma in 1988 as China invaded the island from Vietnam. Beijing still illegally occupies the island and other islands in Truong Sa (Spratlys).

16. Three female activists detained, beaten by police when participating in a demonstration calling for children protection

In the morning of March 16, three female activists namely Lê Bảo Nhi, Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngà and Nguyễn Thanh Loan were detained and beaten by police in Thu Duc district, HCM City when they participated in a public demonstration calling for children protection and requesting authorities to punish individuals committing sexual attacks on children.

According to their plan, female activists will gather at the gate of Luong The Vinh elementary school in Thu Duc district where one girl was sexually harassed to hold a peaceful demonstration calling for strict punishment for pedofiles. However, police quickly came and detained them.

After holding the trio for many hours, police released them at 9 PM of the same day. Due to police’s asault during the detention, Nguyen Thanh Loan suffered serious injuries and was forced to be hospitalized in Go Vap general hospital for urgent treatment.

On her Facebook account, activist Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngà said “When Le Bao Nhi, Nguyen Thanh Loan and I came to the Thong Nha street, many plainclothes agents stopped our vehicles and barred us from using cell phone to warn others about our detention. They dragged us into a car and took us to Linh Dong ward’s police station where they confiscated our cell phones and interrogated us. The reason for detaining us was to prevent us from participating in an anti-pedofile protest planned near Luong The Vinh school on the same day.”

17. Activists Phan Kim Khanh, Bui Hieu Vo arrested on charges of “conducting anti-state propaganda”

On March 22, the Ministry of Public Security announced that authorities arrested Bui Hieu Vo and Phan Kim Khanh on allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the 1999 Penal Code.

Bui Hieu Vo, born in 1962 and resident in Go Vap district, HCM City, was arrested on March 17. According to the ministry’s website, Hieu had established a Facebook account “Hieu Bui” since May 2015 to diseminate many articles “defaming the state.”

Vo was said to call on others to use petrol bombs and acide to attack communist leaders and police foces, and contact with members of the U.S.-based Viet Tan group in Australia to discuss about managing the Facebook Hieu Bui page.

Phan Kim Khanh, born in 1993 in Cam Khe district, Phu Tho province, was arrested by police in Thai Nguyên province on March 21. He was alleged of establishing and managing some blogs, Facebook and Youtube pages defaming the communist government.

18. Community of Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist harassed while marking the death of Founder Huynh Phu So

On March 20 (February 25 of the Lunar calendar), authorities in southern provinces of Dong Thap, An Giang and Vinh Long strived to prevent followers of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist sect from gathering to mark the death of its Founder Huynh Phu So.

Local authorities had announced several days in advance that followers and clergies of the sect are not allowed to go out of their private residences on March 17-22.

In Vinh Long, in early morning of March 20, the private residences of Bùi Văn Luốt and Nguyễn Ngọc Tân were attacked with messes made of eggs, paint, and lubricant. At 3 PM of the same day, a delegation of the Fatherland Front in Dong Thanh commune, Binh Minh town came to the private residence of Le Van Soc, deputy head of the Board management of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist sect in the province, to inform him that he cannot go out nor receive followers. Police also went to houses of other followers and clergies to ask them not to gather as well as hanging banrons.

In the morning of March 21, police in Vinh Long came to the houses of Mr. Luot and Mr. Tan and grabbed their banrons.

19. Female activist Hong Thai Hoang attacked with tear gas

On April 13, while purchasing gloceries in a wet market, female activist Hồng Thái Hoàng was attacked with tear gas by a stranger who ran away after spraying. The female activist claimed that the attack is a reprisal of police because she often diseminates the old flag of the Vietnam Republic which fell to the communists in 1975.

20. Activists Tran Hoang Phuc and Huynh Thanh Phat kidnapped and beaten

Rights activist Huynh Thanh Phat, 18, and Tran Hoang Phuc, 23, were waiting at a bus stop in Ba Don in the central province of Quang Binh when a group of men in civilian clothes wearing surgical masks attacked them. The men used shirts to cover the faces of Huynh Thanh Phat and Tran Hoang Phuc, pushed them into a small van, and drove them away. During the ride, the men continuously beat Phat and Phuc. Phat recalled: “They beat us once about every 10 minutes while the car was moving. They hit us on our ears, temples, heads, ribs, backbone, and chest.”

Phuc wrote on his Facebook page that, “They slapped me, punched me in my ribs and thighs.” The two activists were taken to a deserted area in the forest where according to Phuc, the men “used bamboo sticks and belts to whip them

The men took the activists’ wallets and cell phones and abandoned them there.

21. Female activist Do Thi Minh Hanh illegally detained, her private residence attacked with dirty mess

On April 18, a group of activists including Tran Bang and Đỗ Thị Minh Hạnh went to a police station in Co Giang ward, District 1 when they were informed that some activists were held in the station. However, when they arrived, police also detained them for questioning in four hours.

Two days later, police attacked Hạnh’s private residence with a dirty mess made of decaying shrimp and wastes.

22. Authorities in Nghe An Ask Local Diocese not to Allow Priest Nguyen Duy Tan to Hold Vigils

On April 26, authorities in the central province of Nghe An sent a letter to the Vinh Diocese to ask the local Catholic church not to allow priest Nguyễn Duy Tân who came from Tho Hoa parish, Xuan Loc Diocese in Dong Nai province to hold vigils for local followers after he criticized the Vietnamese leadership.

The letter, signed by Vice Chairman of Nghe An People’s Committee Le Xuan Dai, states that Priest Tan’s holding the vigil in Phu Yen parish on April 25 violated 2004 Ordinance on Religions and Beliefs and the government’s decree on public orders.

Priest Tan has criticized the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam and its government, encouraging local Catholic followers to participate in demonstrations which have caused “social disorder” and calling for not respecting the party’s leadership in the country, the letter read.

The move came after priest Tan and thousands of followers in Phu Yen parish held a peaceful demonstration on April 24 to protest the Quynh Luu district police for beating two followers and robbing their t-shirts, which showed “No-Formosa” slogans.

In the evening of the next day, Father Tan held talks with local followers after a vigil about the situation in the country, in which he blamed the government for bad economic management and polluted environment.

Priest Dang Huu Nam from the Vinh Diocese said priest Tan has not violated the law as he discussed the country’s situations with followers. The request to deny him the right to hold vigils interferes with the internal affairs of the church, he noted.

Authorities in Nghe An also requested the Vinh Diocese to organize meetings to mark the 42th  anniversary of the country’s reunification.

23. Activist Truong Van Dung assaulted by plainclothes agents in day light

On April 30, some Hanoi-based activists held a peaceful demonstration in My Dinh bus station. Suddenly, a thug appeared and attacked activist Trương Van Dũng.

The activists held banners which wrote “Fish need fresh water, people need transparency” and “Formosa and people, what the party chooses?”

24. Female activist Le My Hanh and her friend assaulted by pro-government thugs

In the evening of May 2, Facebooker Phan Hung posted a video clip filming an assault against female activist Lê Mỹ Hạnh, with warning to attack other activists who criticize the government and call for political change in the country.

The victim said that “I came to HCM City from Hanoi on May 1 in a bid to attend a walking tour. I stay in an apartment with my friend on Tran Nao street. At around 3 PM of the next day, we came back to our apartment after having meal. Ten minutes later, a group of one female and four or five males went in and attacked us with tear gas and later beat us.

They beat us until we colapsed on floor, said Hanh who was also attacked by pro-government thugs in Hanoi several months earlier.

25. Environmentalist Hoang Binh arrested

At 10.30 AM of May 15, authorities in Nghe An province kidnapped environmentalist Hoàng Đức Bình when he travelled in a car of Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc.

Police officers in plain clothes stopped the car and took him out of the vehicle when they arrived in Den Cuong, Dien An commune in Dien Chau district.

According to Facebooker Chan Ly, when the car arrived on Den Cuong, traffic police requested the driver to stop for administrative check. At the same time, a group of four men in civil clothes opened the car door and took Binh out of the vehicle. Their acts were so fast and we had no response. Binh was kidnapped and taken away.

Few minutes after that, priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc from Song Ngoc parish contacted with other priests by telephone to inform them about the abduction. Around 4,000 Catholic followers in Dien Chau district came to block the National Road No. 1 to demand for Binh’s release.

The followers agreed to return home after authorities in Nghe An announced that Binh was arrested and charged with “abusing the right to democratic freedom” under Article 258 of the Penal Code 1999

26. Hoa Hao Buddhist follower dies from throat cuts in police custody in political case

On May 2, Nguyen Huu Tan, a Hoa Hao Buddhist follower from the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long, was found dead in a local police station with his throat cut and many injuries to his head.

The local police said Tan committed suicide by using an investigating officer’s letter opener to cut his own throat; however, his family suspected that he was killed by police during his detention.

Earlier the same day, Vinh Long province’s authorities deployed around 200 police officers to detain Tan, 38, and search his private residence in Thanh Phuoc commune, Binh Minh town. The police did not show any warrant and took Tan away, the family claimed.

The local authorities said they suspected Tan of conducting activities aiming to overthrow the Communist regime and of carrying out “anti-state propaganda” by producing the flag of the former Vietnam Republic.

Tan’s death is the latest in a series that have occurred under suspicious circumstances while in the custody of the authorities.

Vietnam’s government officially recognizes the Hoa Hao religion, which has some two million followers across the country, but imposes harsh controls on dissenting Hoa Hao groups that do not follow the state-sanctioned branch.

Rights groups say that authorities routinely harass followers of unapproved groups, prohibiting public readings of the Hoa Hao founder’s writings and discouraging worshipers from visiting Hoa Hao pagodas.

27. Nghe An holds public denunciation of Catholic priest Dang Huu Nam and Nguyen Dinh Thuc

On May 8, authorities in Nghe An province held public denunciation against Catholic priests Dang Huu Nam and JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc.

Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, head of the province’s Department for Education forced local students to attend in demonstration against the two priests.

Le Duc Thuc, principal of Nguyen Duc May high school carried out a denunciation with particiation of thousands of his students in a Monday meeting.

During public denunciations, local cadres provided distorted information about priests and Catholic community, triggering hate between Christian followers and neigbhors.

In response, priests in Quynh Luu issued a joint statement condemning the acts of Nghe An province’s authorities.

28. Hoa Hao Buddhist follower Vuong Van Tha detained

At 8 AM of May 18, authorities in An Giang province arrested Vương Văn Thả, a local follower of Hoa Hao Buddhist sect, and his family.

A witness said “An Giang province’s authorities sent police to block Mr. Tha’s house from the mid night of May 17 and in early morning of the next day, police arrested him, took him in a car. Other members of the family were also detained and taken away by another vehicle.”

Mr. Tha was a former prisoner of conscience. He was arrested in 2013 and charged with “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 258 of the 1999 Penal Code. Later he was sentenced to three years in prison.

29. Workshop on journalism stopped by Hanoi authorities

The Ministry of Public Security prevented a workshop on information management from taking place in Hanoi and warned that if the participants went ahead with the event, there would be “serious consequences”. Approximately 20 human rights defenders, bloggers, and independent journalists were expected to attend the workshop organized by Defend the Defenders on May 21-22.

On the morning of May 20, 2017, police prevented several persons who were expected to participate from leaving their homes in Hanoi and a large group of officers were deployed just outside the workshop’s venue. As a result of the severe restrictions and serious risks faced by the participants, the organizers decided to cancel the event.

The workshop was organized by Defend the Defenders in collaboration with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Office in Bangkok.

30. Suppression against Catholic community in Van Thai sub-parish

In late May, authorities in Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province deployed a large number of police, militia and thugs to threaten outspoken Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc and demolish many private residences of Catholic followers in the Van Thai sub-parish, the Song Ngoc parish.

On the evening of May 30, authorities in Quynh Luu sent around 700 thugs with wooden bars and bricks and stones to the around of the Van Thai church when Father Thuc held a mass. They caused great noise and threw stones and bricks to the church and other private houses around.

Some Catholic followers were beaten by thugs while one female follower was injured from a glass broken by thugs.

When the church warned, mobile police came but did nothing to disperse the trouble-causing group. They offered to accompany Father Thuc to the Song Ngoc parish church where he resides, however, he rejected.

On the next day, thugs came to Van Thai and attacked many private houses of the local followers who were forced to leave their house to avoid being assaulted. Thugs broke in their house and destroyed their properties, including motorbikes, electronic devices, and roofs while police watched and did nothing to stop them.

A number of Catholic followers were beaten by thugs.

31. Lawyer Le Quoc Quan threatened after meeting with US Senators

In the morning of June 8, a group of ten thugs came to the private residence of former political prisoner Lê Quốc Quân in Hanoi, threatening him and his family if he continues his activities which aim for promoting human rights and multi-party democracy in the Southeast Asian nation.

Lawyer Quan, who was imprisoned for 30 months for fabricated allegation of tax evasion, said the thugs were led by a man namely Thanh, the same group beat him in the evening of July 3, 2016 in order to prevent him from taking part in a party organized by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam to mark the 240th Independent Day of the U.S.

Quan said Thanh held his neck and told him that he must suspend his social activities otherwise they will hurt him and his family.

“You should focus on your family and try to protect your growing daughters otherwise we will cause harm for them,” Thanh said.

The thugs also threatened to beat Quan’s friend who came to support him.

The incident happened in the entry of the building in where Quan lives under the witness of Quan’s daughters and many local residents.

Quan said the move came ten days after he met with U.S. Senator John McCain when the American veteran of the Vietnam War visited the Southeast Asian nation and met with some local activists.

On May 30, security forces in Hanoi contacted Quan, saying he should not go to the meeting with Senator McCain and other members of the U.S. Congress. However, Quan went to the meeting where he reported human rights violations in Vietnam and raised the case of human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, who is imprisoned and charged with anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

32. Activist Nguyen Dang Vu Arbitrarily Detained and Tortured by Dak Lak police

On June 8, security forces in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Dak Lak kidnapped and tortured activist Nguyễn Đăng Vũ from Ho Chi Minh City for two days when he visited the locality, the victim told Defend the Defenders.

Vu, who has participated in many peaceful demonstrations on environmental issues and other issues and posted a number of articles in his Facebook account Nguyễn Peng about human rights and multi-party democracy, was detained by a group of plainclothes agents upon his arrival in the city on the afternoon.

The kidnappers took him to a police station in Tan Lap ward, Buon Ma Thuot city where they tortured him, kicking his belly and causing great pain for him, Vu said.

Police also confiscated his belongings, including cell phones before taking him in a bus and forcing him to go back to HCM City in the late night of the next day. Vu said he was not supplied with food during 31 hours in police custody.

Along with political involvement, Vu has partaken in many charity events, going to remote areas to support the poor and children.

Last year, he was arrested by HCM City while attending anti-Formosa demonstrations. He was also beaten by thugs two times in 2016.

33. Activist Huynh Anh Tuan beaten by plainclothes agents near police station

On June 25, some activists held a small demonstration on Dien Bien Phu street in Binh Thanh district, HCM City to protest China’s deployment of HD981 oil rig in Vietnam’s waters in the East Sea. The protest was supresse by local security forces.

Informed that Facebooker Pham Minh Ngoc and his child were detained and held in a police station in Ward 25, some activists including Huỳnh Anh Tuấn came to the station to gather information about the detainee. However, upon arrival, Tuan was brutally attacked by plainclothes agents in front of the police station. The attackers used police batons to beat him, causing severe injuries on his body.

34. Young activist Tran Hoang Phuc arrested in Hanoi

On July 3, the police of Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi officially announced the arrest of young activist Trần Hoàng Phúc, five days after detaining him without warrant in a renting apartment on Hoang Hoa Tham street, Buoi ward, Tay Ho district.

The police said Phuc will be kept for investigation on allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code, particularly for making, storing and disseminating videos defaming the ruling communist party and its government. He will face imprisonment of up to 20 years if is convicted, according to the current Vietnamese law.

Currently, Phuc is imprisoned in the Detention facility No. 1 under the authority of the Hanoi city’s Department of Police. He will be likely kept incommunicado for at least four months for investigation, the common practice applied for those who were accused of allegations in the national security provision of the Penal Code.

On June 29, Hanoi’s police broke in his apartment on Hoang Hoa Tham street, detaining him without showing arrest warrant. The arrest announcement was made after his mother came from Ho Chi Minh City to ask about him.

Phuc is a 23-year-old activist based in Saigon. He is a member of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), which was established few years ago by then U.S. President Barack Obama. In May 2016, as an YSEALI member, Mr. Phuc was invited to attend a talk given by President Obama in HCM City, but he was barred from attending the event by Vietnam’s security forces.

He publicly calls for multi-party democracy and human rights enhancement as well as environmental protection. In late May last year, when then U.S. President Barack Obama visited Saigon, he was invited to meet him but was detained by local security shortly prior to the meeting

Phuc’s arrest was made amid Vietnam’s intensified crackdown against local political dissidents, human rights campaigners, social activists and independent bloggers.

35. Nine environmentalists arrested while walking to protest waste dumping

On July 15, security forces in Ho Chi Minh City detained a group of environmental activists when they were walking by foot from the southern metropolitan city to the central coastal province of Binh Thuan in a bid to raise public concern over dumping a huge volume of solid waste into the sea off the local coast.

The group of several activists led by teacher Ngô Thị Thứ (Facebook account Ngo Thu) were with banners “Protect our Environment,” “Không thể đổ chất thải xuống biển” (translated: Waste should not be dumped into sea waters) or “Chúng tôi đi Bình Thuận ôm biển” (translated: We go to Binh Thuan to hold waters).

However, police in HCM City manipulated the walking activists, making some troubles for them and later detaining them to a police station in Tan Phu ward, District 9.

In the police station, police confiscated all belongings of the activists, including their personal documents and cell phones. They interrogated the activists for hours and forced them to sign letters to confess that they were causing public disorders before releasing them in late night of the same day.

Ms. Ngô Thị Thứ said police have not returned her ID and cell phones while Ms, Tran Huynh Nhu Uyen got back her items.

Police and thugs also threatened other activists when they came to the police station to support the detainees.

In June, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment granted a license to Vinh Tan 1 Power Company, investor of Vinh Tan thermal power plant, to dump 1.5 million cubic meters of mud and waste into the sea in the locality, which was eight kilometers from Hon Cau MPA. The mud was collected from dredging canals and quay, where a 100,000 ton-port is being built to welcome coal ships from Indonesia and Australia to serve three Vinh Tan thermal power plants.

Established in September 2012, the Hon Cau MPA is one of 16 marine protected areas in Vietnam, based on the approval of the government.

36. HCM City-based Activist Beaten by Plainclothes Agents after Commemorating China’s Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo

On the evening of July 16, Ms. Sương Quỳnh, an activist in Ho Chi Minh City, was followed and beaten by a group of plainclothes agents on her way returning home from a ceremony which commemorated the passing of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who won Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.

Ms. Quynh, who has participated in a number of events which aim to promote human rights and democracy in Vietnam, said she was attacked by the plainclothes agents when she was driving her motorbike after leaving the private residence of Professor Tuong Lai, a government critic in HCM City.

The assault was made on Phu My Bridge. At first, she thought they were robbers and shouted out for help, then there were several locals coming to protect her and fight back against the attackers.

One of the attackers said they were police officers and their acts aimed to deal with “reactionary individuals,” the brand Vietnam’s government uses for political dissidents, human rights defenders and social activists. However, local residents continued to beat the attackers until they left the scene.

Ms. Quynh also recognized one police officer who has monitored surveillance over her among the perpetrators.

Thanks to the help of local residents, Quynh suffered light injuries. Later, police came but refused to accompany her to her house. Quynh also refused to go to the local police station to report the attack because she said she feels unsafe to go there.

37. Police bar friends to attend funeral of jailed juman rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai’s father

In the morning of July 24, authorities in Hanoi deployed police and militia to harash and block many activists and friends of imprisoned human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai from attending his father’s funeral.

Land right activist Trinh Ba Phuong said “police do not allow shops near Thanh Nhan hospital in Hanoi to sell flowers to activists. Plainclothes agents robbed some flowers and blocked me and other activists from taking part in the funeral.”

38. Pro-democracy ativist Le Dinh Luong arrested on allegation of subversion

On July 24, security forces in Nghe An detained local activist Lê Đình Lượng, saying the detention is based on his recent activities which “aim to overthrow the people’s government and cause social disorders.”

In its press release issued after detaining Mr. Luong, the Investigation Agency under the Nghe An province’s Department of Public Security said it will hold him and prosecute him for “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Article 79 of the 1999 Penal Code.

Mr. Luong, 52, is a social activist residing in Hop Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. The army veteran of the war against China’s invasion in the country’s northernmost region in 1980s has been under harassment of the local authorities for long time.

Luong is a Catholic follower in the Vinh Hoa parish. He had provided great supports for families of 14 young Catholic prisoners of conscience from Nghe An. He also assisted local residents to protest illegal fees on education and new-style rural development set by Nghe An authorities as well the right to have more than two children. In addition, he has voiced against the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant which discharged huge amount of toxic industrial waste into the central coastal waters and caused the environmental disaster in the region last year, in which hundreds tons of fisheries were killed.

Mr. Luong is likely to be held incommunicado for at least four months for investigation and he will face imprisonment of between twelve and twenty years of imprisonment, life imprisonment or capital punishment, according to the current Vietnamese law.

39. Vietnam Arrests Four Activists, Charging Six with Subversion

On July 30, the Security Investigation Agency of Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security carried out arrests of four activists namely Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Trung Ton, Truong Minh Duc and Nguyen Bac Truyen, charging them with “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Article 79 of Vietnam’s 1999 Penal Code.

The detainees will be held incommunicado in the next four months for investigation on the case in which involve prominent human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Ms. Le Thu Ha who were arrested on December 16, 2015 and charged with “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code, the ministry said on its website.

In the morning of Sunday, the agency carried out the arrests of Mr. Ton, Mr. Duc and Mr. Troi at their private residences, and conducted house search, taking away a number of their personnel items, including Bible books of Mr. Ton, who is a Protestant pastor. Meanwhile, Mr. Truyen, head of Vietnamese Political & Religious Prisoners Friendship Association, was reported to have been gone missing when he was waiting for his wife at a gate of the Ky Dong Redemptory’s Church in Ho Chi Minh City in the morning of the day. His wife failed to contact with him by phone so she supposed he was kidnapped by local security forces.

All of the detainees are former prisoners of conscience. Mr. Troi is a former president of Brotherhood of Democracy formed by Mr. Dai while Mr. Ton is the organization’s incumbent president and Mr. Duc is his deputy responsible for the southern region. Duc is also a senior staff of the Viet Labor Movement.

The six activists face imprisonment of between twelve and twenty years of imprisonment, life imprisonment or capital punishment if are convicted, according to the country’s current law.

40. Spokesman of Brotherhood for Democracy arrested

Vietnam has continued its crackdown against Brotherhood for Democracy, arresting its Spokesman Nguyễn Trung Trực after a mass detention on July 30.

On August 4, security forces detained Mr. Truc at his home in the central province of Quang Binh and charged him with “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Article 79 of Vietnam’s 1999 Penal Code. Police also conducted search in his private house and took away his computers, cell phones and other personal items.

Mr. Truc is a former prisoner of conscience. After being released, he continues his activities which aim to promote human rights and democracy in Vietnam.

Due to his activism, he has been targeted by Vietnam’s security forces. In early July last year, he and other seven activists from Quang Binh went to Nghe An to attend a wedding party of Nguyen Hai, another member of Brotherhood for Democracy. However, the group was kidnapped by plainclothes agents who took them to a remote area where they beat and robbed all their belongings including wallets and cell phones before leaving.

41. Police in Nghe An detain, beat many relatives of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Le Dinh Luong

On August 18, police in Nghe An brutally beat 15 relatives of imprisoned political dissident Le Dinh Luong, detaining six of them and torturing them for hours before releasing them in mid-night of Friday, said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Xoan, a daughter-in-law of Mr. Luong.

The detentions and assaults were made after Luong’s relatives went to the Nghe An province’s Department of Public Security to request for meeting Mr. Luong and provide him with some supplements. The family wants to know his health conditions as someone claimed that he was beaten upon detention on July 24.

Police invited the group into a room and forced them to wait for hours. Later, instead of answering questions, authorities accused the group of causing public disorders and deployed 200 policemen to beat the group which included elder people and pregnant females, Xoan said.

Later, police detained Mrs. Xoan and her husband Le Dinh Hieu, activists Tran Thi To, Ho Van Luc, and Le Van Nhan and took them to different rooms where they continued to beat them.

Mr. Nhan suffered most, receiving severe injuries in his right leg. Mrs. Xoan, who has a baby, was also attacked by police officers in plainclothes while Mrs. To was beaten and stripped off all clothes.

At 11 PM of the same day, police forced the detainees to sign in letters which they have to say that they were not beaten by police. Xoan said police would kill them if they refuse to sign the untrue letters prepared by police.

42. Vietnam arrests 7th key member of Brotherhood for Democracy

Vietnam’s communist government continues its persecution against Brotherhood for Democracy, arresting its 7th key member namely Nguyễn Văn Túc, who is also a former prisoner of conscience.

Mr. Tuc was detained on September 1 and charged with “conducting activities aiming to overthrow the people’s administration” under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.

Authorities in Dong Hung district, Thai Binh province, invited him and other farmers to the headquarters of the district People’s Committee in the Friday’s morning to work on land issue. However, the meeting was cancelled unexpectedly and when Mr. Tuc left the building of the district People’s Committee, he was detained by plainclothes agents.

At the same, authorities in Thai Binh deployed over 100 policemen to his private house in Dong La commune to search the house. They took some items at the presence of his wife Bui Thi Re.

Later, the Police department in the province announced on its website that Mr. Tuc was arrested and charged with subversion.

He will be held incommunicado during the investigation period which can last from four months to two years, a common practice in political cases in Vietnam.

Mr. Tuc, born in 1964, was arrested in September 2008 for spreading leaflets protesting China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty and calling for multi-party democracy. He was charged with “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the 1999 Penal Code. Later, he was sentenced to four years in prison and three years under house arrest.

After being released in 2012, he continued his activities to promote human rights and work for multi-party democracy. He joined Brotherhood for Democracy, an online group co-established by imprisoned human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai.

43. Catholic priest Nguyen Duy Tan terrored by pro-government thugs

On September 4, a group of around 20 pro-government thugs led by Nguyen Trong Nghia stumped in the living area of Catholic priest Giuse Nguyễn Duy Tân in Tho Hoa church, Xuan Loc diocese, Dong Nai province to threaten him.

Alerted by the incident, Catholic followers gathered and detained the thugs who confessed their violent moves under witness of local authorities.

Some of the thugs were found with a gun and other weapons.

44. Activist Nguyen Viet Dung arrested

On September 27, police in Nghe An kidnapped Nguyễn Viết Dũng, the president and founder of the unsanctioned Republican Party of Vietnam, and later charged with “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.

Mr. Dung, a former prisoner of conscience, was taken in hostage by a group of around ten plainclothes agents while he was taking lunch in a small restaurant near Song Ngoc Catholic church in Quynh Ngoc commune, Quynh Luu district.

The kidnappers came with three motorbikes and a seven-seat car. They beat Dung and his friends upon the hostage, forcibly taking him into the car and left the scene. No warrant was showed.

The kidnappers acted so fast that any local people can react. In hurry, the kidnapers left one of their motorbikes with some documents.

Local residents said the kidnappers are completely strange to them.

On the afternoon of the same day, the Police Investigation Agency in Nghe An released a press announcement saying they had conducted urgent arrest of Mr. Dung and charged him under Article 88. On the same day, police in Quynh Luu came to Song Ngoc to ask to take back the motorbike the kidnappers left but local residents refused to give them.

Police said they carried out the arrest on line with Vietnam’s law, adding Mr. Dung will be held for investigation which will last at least four months. During the investigation period, Dung will be placed incommunicado, the common practice applied in political cases.

Dung will face imprisonment of up to 20 years if convicted, according to the current Vietnamese law.

45. Protestant pastor Than Van Truong blocked from going to US

On October 3, security forces in Tan Son Nhat International Airport stopped Protestant pastor Thân Văn Trường from taking a flight to the US, saying the reason for the ban is based on national security.

In a letter provided by the border gate security forces, Mr. Truong was said to be among those people not permitted to go abroad on concerns of national security. However, police denied to give more details.

Mr. Truong, who obtained a visa for the US, said this was the second time he was blocked from going abroad.

He is among over a hundred of activists not allowed to go to foreign countries.

46. Vietnam arrests female activist Tran Thi Xuan, summoning many others

On October 17, authorities in Ha Tinh province arrested female activist Trần Thị Xuân, 41, member of the Brotherhood for Democracy, and charged her with subversion.

Ms. Xuan is a member of a charity group in Thach Kim parish, Loc Ha district.

In 2016, Xuan was detained and interrogated about her membership of the Brotherhood for Democracy and her posts on her Facebook account.

47. Former prisoner of conscience Bui Thi Minh Hang harassed by Hanoi police

Former prisoner of conscience Bùi Thị Minh Hằng detained and for several hours by police in Hanoi when she visited her relative in Son Tay town. Police also robbed her cell phone and a wallet with VND3 million.

Two police officers were reportedly to go to her relative’s private residence to conduct administrative checking at 2 PM of November 1. When Hang tried to film, plainclothes agents came to confiscate her cell phone and violently took her in a car and went to a local police station.

In a police station, she was interrogated but remained silent so police left her alone in a room until 8 PM of the same day when police took her back to her relative’s house.

However, police denied to return her cell phone and wallet with money. They also requested her to come back to police station for interrogation but she refused.

48. Independent reporter Huyen Trang assaulted

Reporter Huyền Trang of the independent outlet “Good News for the Poor” was brutally beaten by thugs on November 1 after participating in a ceremony to mark the 54th anniversary of the death of former President Ngo Dinh Diem of the Vietnam Republic which fell to communists in 1975.

After the event held in Lai Thieu cementery in Binh Duong province, Huyen Trang returned to a packing lot to get a bus to go back to HCM City. Later, she was attracked by a group of thugs and suffered serious injuries on her head.

49. Many religious cleargies and followers detained when Vietnam hosts APEC Summit

Many religious clergies and folowers were detained when Vietnam hosted APEC Summit in the central city of Danang on November 5-10 with participation of many world leaders.

Dam Thoa, a monk in Non Dao pagoda, was kidnapped by police in HCM City on October 31. She was deported to her pagoda in Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province on next day.

Le Thi Hanh, a follower of the Hoa Hao Buddhist sect was also arrested when she was selling bread in An Phu communal market. Later, police charged her with “resisting on-duty officials” under Article 245 of the Penal Code.

50. Hanoi police detain three activists after meeting with EU Delegation

On the afternoon of November 16, security forces in Hanoi detained activists Phạm Đoan Trang, Dr.Nguyễn Quang A and Bùi Thị Minh Hằng after they participated in a meeting with representatives of the EU on human rights situation in Vietnam.

Police released Hang and A after several hours keeping them in a police stations. They held blogger Trang longer and freed her in mid night. Police also confiscated some items of Trang, including her cell phone and a laptop.

Hang said a group of around 20 plainclothes agents kidnapped her and Trang when they left the EU headquaters in Hanoi.

51. Phu Yen Bar Association dismisses human rights lawyer Vo An Don

On November 26, the Board management of the Phu Yen Bar Association decided to remove human rights lawyer Vo An Don from its lawyers’ list.

Don, 40, is the head of the Vo An Don lawyer office. He is among few lawyers involving in political and other sensitive cases in the country.

The reason for the dismissal is that he has a number of posts on her Facebook account and interviews of foreig media that defame lawyers and the country’s leadership.

52. Police in Khanh Hoa brutally beat many activists after appeal of Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh

On November 30, security forces in the central city of Nha Trang detained and brutally assaulted many activists coming to the city to observe the appeal hearing of prominent blogger and human rights defender Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh who was accused of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

Among victims were activists Nguyen Kim Tien and Tran Thi Thu Nguyet from HCM City.

Police also assaulted Nguyen Thi Tuyet Lan, the mother of Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh.

Police robbed four smart phones of four activists as well as a wallet with more than VND6 million and personal documents of blogger Nguyen Peng.

53. Anti-Formosa Priest Barred from Going to Australia to Attend Vietnam Human Rights Hearing

Vietnam’s authorities blocked Catholic priest Nguyễn Đình Thục, one of outspoken priests regarding Formosa issues, from going to Australia where he was invited to attend a hearing on human rights situation in the Southeast Asian nation.

Priest Thuc was stopped by security forces in the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on December 6 when he was to take an international flight to Australia.

The hearing, carried out by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights of the Australian Parliament, was scheduled on December 7.

The border security officers said the travel ban of Priest Thuc was based on the proposal of the Nghe An police regarding national security.

Priest Thuc is among many priests voicing against the Taiwanese Formosa Plastic Group after its affiliate Hung Nghiep Formosa illegally discharged a huge amount of toxic industrial waste into Vietnam’s central coastal region last year and caused the biggest environmental catastrophe in the country for decades. The environmental disaster massively killed marine species and affected livelihood of tens of thousands of local fishermen in the five central provinces from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue.

54. Dinner-meeting of activists in HCM City was troubled by security forces

Former prisoner of conscience Phạm Bá Hải, coordinator of the Bach Dang Giang Foundation and the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience invited around 30 activists to attend a dinner at Shri-Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge in District 3, HCM City. He planned to introduce the guests the human rights training program which he recently graduated.

At 4 PM of the day, two hours before the dinner starts, police came to his private residence and requested him not to go out although he explained that the meeting is private while the topic of discussion is nothing secret. However, police blocked his house until 9 PM.

Police also came to the restaurant to ask the owner to close services.

In Vietnam, talks about human rights can be considered sensitive and harmful for national security.

55. Religious Clergies Harassed on International Human Rights Day

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have harassed many religious clergies and activists, not allowing them to gather to mark the International Human Rights Day (December 10).

Police detained Catholic priests of the Ky Dong Redemptory Church, taking them to a police station in Ward 6, District 3.

Plainclothes agents attacked Buddhist Venerable Thich Khong Tanh when he tried to leave Giac Hoa Pagoda to go to Xuan Loc town, Dong Nai province where he was invited to attend a vigil of the Tho Hoa Catholic Church.

Plainclothes agents request the monk not to leave the area. Police also confiscated a cell phone of his assistant when he tried to film the assault.

Ven. Tanh is the head of Lien Tri Pagoda which was demolished earlier this year by the city’s authorities for property project development.

Ven. Tanh and priests of Ky Dong Redemptory Church were invited by priest Nguyen Duy Tan to attend the vigil of Tho Hoa Church.

Many other activists in HCM City and Hanoi also reported that their private residencies were surrounded by numerous plainclothes agents who blocked them from going out or closely followed them when they left their houses.

Other activists were forced to meet in secret to mark the International Human Rights Day.

56. Dong Kieu parish requested to demolish Christmas Cave

Authorities in Nghe An province have requested the Catholic community in the Dong Kieu parish in Dien My commune, Dien Chau to demolish its Christmas cave the local followers have built to celebrate the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday.

Earlier this week, police came to the church to demand followers to destroy the cave within 24 hours, otherwise they will come back and impose administrative fine, local bloggers announced.

On the evening of December 13, thugs supported by police came to the parish, attacking followers and demolishing many properties of local followers.

Thugs were reportedly to use iron bars to destroy houses of parishioners, fired teacher Lien with gun and attacked Mr. Thuan from Dong Trang village with a sword when he passed the parish. They also demolished his motorbike.

Due to the assaults, Lien and Thuan suffered serious injuries in their heads and bodies, local parishioners said.

Local authorities are deploying many plainclothes agents to the areas near the parish, ready to suppress followers.

57. Nghe An police attack Ke Gai parish

In the morning of December 17, followers of Ke Gai parish, Vinh diocese prepared to build a church in Hung Thinh commune, Hung Nguyen district.

Authorities in Nghe An deployed mobile police, militia and pro-government thugs to the parish to demolish construction materials and attack followers.

58. Private residence of Catholic priest Phan Van Loi Attacked with Dirty Mess

The private residence of Catholic priest Phan Van Loi in the central city of Hue has been attacked with dirty mess while many other activists in different localities have been placed under house arrest few days ahead of Christmas Day.

Outspoken priest Loi said that his private house was thrown with a mess made from decaying shrimp paste and oil lubricant waste during the night of December 19.

This is the fourth attacks with dirty substances against him in the past two years. The attacks were likely committed by local security agents who allegedly filled his locks with glue six times in a bid to prevent him from going out in recent years.

59. Five activists convicted of anti-state propaganda, sentenced to total 19 Years in Prison

On December 21, the People’s Court in Vietnam’s southern province of An Giang convicted five activists of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code, giving them total 19 years in prison, state media reported today.

Particularly, Mr. Nguyễn Tấn An, 25, was sentenced to five years in prison, Ms. Huynh Thi Kim Quyen, 38, and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy, 25, to four years in jail each, and Mr. Pham Van Trong, 23, and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, 23, to three years in prison each. All of them will have to be in two years of probation after completing the jail sentences.

According to the indictment, the five activists were accused of making and populizing the flags of the Vietnam Republic which ruled the southern country before being overtaken by the communist troops in 1975.

The group was said to produce and disseminate “toxic messages” to defame the ruling communist party and its government on social networks, including Facebook before being arrested in early May this year.

State media said they admitted their wrongdoings so the court gave them the light sentences, adding that people who are charged with “anti-state propaganda” face imprisonment of between seven and 20 years in prison if convicted.

60. Activist Vu Sy Hoang barred from leaving to US for Family Reunification

On December 26, security forces in the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City blocked human rights activist Vũ Sỹ Hoàng from travelling to the US where he would reunite with his family.

Mr. Hoang was stopped by security officers at the border gate. His passport was also confiscated by them.

Police explained that he is on the travel ban list issued by the Immigration under the Ministry of Public Security.

Mr. Hoang, who has participated in a number of peaceful demonstrations to protest human rights violations, China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea) and other issues.

Hoang, whose parents are residing in the US, has been harassed by Vietnam’s security forces in recent years due to his social activists as a member of a number of independent organizations such as No-U Saigon FC, the Vietnamese Blogger Network, the Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam.

Hoang is among over 100 activists barred of leaving country due to their political and social engagement.

61. Nine Activists Jailed with Total 83 Years in Prison for Disseminating Anti-state Leaflets

On December 27, the People’s Court in the central province of Binh Dinh convicted nine activists who disseminated anti-state leaflets on allegation of subversion and anti-state propaganda, according to state media.

Tạ Tấn Lộc, Nguyen Quang Thanh, 34, Nguyen Van Nghia, 39, and Nguyen Van Tuan, 33, were accused of “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code while Pham Long Dai, 21, Doan Thi Bich Thuy, 45, Truong Thi Thu Hang, 33, and Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, 23, were alleged with “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the law.

According to the court’s indictments, the group connected with foreign-based organizations and printed anti-state leaflets and disseminated them in An Nhon town, Tuy Phuoc district and Quy Nhon city on February 16.

The court gave total 83 years of prison for the group. Particularly, Thanh and Loc were sentenced to 14 years each, Dat was given with 13 years while the remaining were sentenced to between three and 12 years. The first three were given additional three years under house arrest each afterward.

 

 

 

 

LIST OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE

Stt	Họ Và Tên	Sinh	Bị Bắt	Án (Năm)	Quảnchế	Điều
	Bùi Hiếu Võ	1962	17/3/2017			88
	Bùi Thị Bích Tuyền			3		245, 257
	Bùi Văn Thâm	1987	26/7/2017	6		245, 257
	Bùi Văn Trung	1964	26/7/2017	6		245, 257
	Cấn Thị Thêu	1962		20 tháng		245
	Đào Quang Thực	1960	5/10/2017			79
	Đinh Nguyên Kha	1988	11/10/2012	4	3	88
	Đỗ Thị Hồng	1957	10/2/2012	13		79
	Đoàn Đình Nam	1951	6/2/2012	16		79
	Đoàn Thị Bích Thủy	1972	2/2017	(3-6)		88
	Đoàn Văn Cư	1962	10/2/2012	14		79
	Hoàng Đức Bình	1983	15/5/2017	14		257,258
	Hồ Đức Hòa	1974	30/7/2012	13	5	79
	Hồ Văn Hải (Bs. Hồ Hải)	1959	3/11/2016	4	2	88
	Huỳnh Hữu Đạt	1970	2/2017	13	3	79
	Huỳnh Thị Kim Quyên	1979	30/4/2017	4	2	88
	Lê Duy Lộc	1956	5/2/2012	17		79
	Lê Đình Lượng	1965	24/7/2017			79
	Lê Đức Động	1983	5/2/2012	12		79
	Lê Thanh Tùng	1961	14/12/2015	12	4	79
	Lê Phúc	1951	5/2/2012	15		79
	Lê Thị Hên			2 năm treo		245, 257
	Lê Thị Hồng Hạnh			3		245, 257
	Lê Thu Hà	1982	16/12/2015			88
	Lê Trọng Cư	1966	5/2/2012	12		79
	Lương Nhật Quang	1987	23/11/2012	12		79
	Lưu Văn Vịnh	1967	6/11/2016			79
	Ngô Hào	1948	8/2/2013	15	5	79
	Ngô Thị Minh Ước	1957	8/7/2014	4	3	88
	Nguyễn Bắc Truyển	1968	30/7/2017			79
	Nguyễn Danh Dũng	1987	14/12/2016			258
	Nguyễn Dinh	1968	23/11/2012	14		79
	Nguyễn Đặng Minh Mẫn	1985	2/8/2011	8	4	79
	Nguyễn Hoàng Nam		27/6/2017	4		245, 257
	Nguyễn Hoàng Quốc Hùng	1981	23/2/2010	9		88
	Nguyễn Hữu Vinh	1956	5/5/2014	5		258
	Nguyễn Kỳ Lạc	1951	6/2/2012	16		79
	Nguyễn Hữu Quốc Duy	1985	27/11/2015	3		88
	Nguyễn Nam Phong	1980	28/11/2017	2		257
	Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh	1979	10/10/2016	10		88
	Nguyễn Ngọc Quý	1992	30/4/2017	4	2	88
	Nguyễn Văn Thượng	1985	18/5/2017	6		88
	Nguyễn Nhật Trường	1985	18/5/2017	6		88
	Nguyễn Quang Thanh	1984	2/2017	14		79
	Nguyễn Quốc Hoàn		11/2016			79
	Nguyễn Tấn An	1992	30/4/2017	5	2	88
	Nguyễn Thái Bình	1986	23/11/2012	12		79
	Nguyễn Thanh Bình	1994	30/4/2017	3	2	88
	Nguyễn Trung Tôn	1972	30/7/2017			79
	Nguyễn Trung Trực	1974	4/8/2017			79
	Nguyễn Văn Đài	1969	16/12/2015			88
	Nguyễn Văn Điển	1983	3/3/2017	6.5	4	88
	Nguyễn Văn Đức Độ	1975	6/11/2016			79
	Nguyễn Văn Hóa	1995	8/1/2017	7	3	88
	Nguyễn Văn Hữu	1957	17/7/2014	4		230
	Nguyễn Văn Nghĩa	1978	2/2017	12		79
	Nguyễn Văn Oai	1981	19/1/2017			257
	Nguyễn Văn Tèo		11/2016			79
	Nguyễn Văn Thiện	1961	6/8/2014	4		245
	Nguyễn Văn Tuấn	1984	2/2017	12		79
	Nguyễn Văn Túc	1966	1/9/2017			79
	Nguyễn Viết Dũng	1986	27/9/2017			88
	Phạm Thị Phượng	1945	15/4/2010	11		79
	Phạm Long Đại	1996	2/2017	(3-6)		88
	Phạm Văn Trội	1972	30/7/2017			79
	Phạm Văn Trọng	1994	30/4/2017	3	2	88
	Phan Kim Khánh	1993	21/3/2017	6	4	88
	Phan Thanh Tường	1987	28/2/2012	10		79
	Phan Thanh Ý	1948	23/11/2012	14		79
	Phan Trung (Thích Nhật Huệ)		16/11/2016			79
	Phan Văn Thu (Trần Công)	1948	5/2/2012	Chung thân		79
	Tạ Khu	1947	6/2/2012	16		79
	Tạ Tấn Lộc	1975	2/2017	14		79
	Trần Anh Kim	1953	21/9/2015	13	5	79
	Trần Hoàng Phúc	1994	29/6/2017	6	4	88
	Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức	1966	24/5/2009	16	5	79
	Trần Linh		11/2016			79
	Trần Phi Dũng	1966	10/2/2012	13		79
	Trần Quân	1984	10/2/2012	12		79
	Trần Thị Bích Ngọc	1994	2/2017	(3-6)		88
	Trần Thị Nga	1977	21/1/2017	9	5	88
	Trần Thị Thúy	1971	10/8/2010	8	5	79
	Trần Thị Xuân	1976	17/10/2017			79
	Trương Thị Thu Hằng	1984	2/2017	(3-6)		88
	Trương Minh Đức	1961	30/7/2017			79
	Từ Công Nghĩa		11/2016			79
	Từ Thiện Lương	1950	23/11/2012	16		79
	Võ Ngọc Cư	1951	6/2/2012	16		79
	Võ Thành Lê	1955	5/2/2012	16		79
	Võ Tiết	1952	23/11/2012	16		79
	Vũ Quang Thuận	1966	3/3/2017	8	5	88
	Vương Tấn Sơn	1953	10/2/2012	17		258
	Vương Văn Thả	1969	18/5/2017	12		88
	Vương Thanh Thuận	1990	18/5/2017	7		88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF DETAINEES 2015-2016-2017

2015	Tên	Án tù (năm)	Quản chế	Điều luật
STT			(năm)
1	Nguyễn Viết Dũng	12 tháng		245
2	Vũ Thị Hải	15 tháng		245
3	Đinh Tất Thắng	7 tháng		258
4	Trần Anh Kim	13	5	79
5	Lê Thanh Tùng	12	4	79
6	Nguyễn Hữu Quốc Duy	3		88
7	Nguyễn Hữu Thiên An	2		88
8	Nguyễn Văn Đài			88
9	Lê Thu Hà			88
2016	Tên	Án tù (năm)	Quản chế	Điều luật
STT			(năm)
1	Cân Thị Thêu	20 tháng		245
2	Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh	10		88
3	Hồ Văn Hải	4	2	88
4	Lưu Văn Vịnh			79
5	Nguyễn Văn Đức Độ			79
6	Nguyễn Quốc Hoàn			79
7	Phan Trung			79
8	Từ Công Nghĩa			79
9	Trần Linh			79
10	Nguyễn Văn Tèo			79
11	Nguyễn Danh Dũng			258
2017	Tên	Án tù (năm)	Quản chế	Điều luật
STT			(năm)
	Nguyễn Văn Hóa	7	3	258
	Nguyễn Văn Oai	5		257
	Trần Thị Nga	9	5	88
	Vũ Quang Thuận	8	5	88
	Nguyễn Văn Điển	6.5	4	88
	Trần Hoàng Phúc	6	4	88
	Bùi Hiếu Võ			88
	Phan Kim Khánh	6	4	88
	Hoàng Đức Bình	14		257, 258
	Nguyễn Nam Phong	2		257
	Vương Văn Thả	12		88
	Vương Văn Thuận	7		88
	Nguyễn Nhật Trường	6		88
	Nguyễn Nhật Thượng	6		88
	Bùi Văn Thâm	6		245, 257
	Lê Thi Hồng Hạnh	3		245, 257
	Lê Thị Hên	2		245, 257
	Bùi Văn Trung	6		245, 257
	Nguyễn Hoàng Nam	4		245, 257
	Lê Đình Lượng			79
	Phạm Văn Trội			79
	Nguyễn Trung Tôn			79
	Trương Minh Đức			79
	Nguyễn Bắc Truyển			79
	Nguyễn Trung Trực			79
	Nguyễn Văn Túc			79
	Nguyễn Viết Dũng			88
	Đào Quang Thực			79
	Trần Thị Xuân			79
	Nguyễn Tấn An	5	2	88
	Huỳnh Thị Kim Quyên	4	2	88
	Nguyễn Ngọc Quý	4	2	88
	Phạm Văn Trọng	3	2	88
	Nguyễn Thanh Bình	3	2	88
	Huỳnh Hữu Đạt	13	3	79
	Tạ Tấn Lộc	14		79
	Nguyễn Quang Thanh	14		79
	Nguyễn Văn Nghĩa	12		79
	Nguyễn Văn Tuấn	12		79
	Phạm Long Đại	(3-6)		88
	Đoàn Thị Bích Thủy	(3-6)		88
	Trương Thị Thu Hằng	(3-6)		88
	Trần Thị Bích Ngọc	(3-6)		88

 

(END)