Prisoner of Conscience Tran Thuy Nga Held in Gia Trung, Not Permitted to Meet with Family

Human Rights Activist Tran Thi Nga with her two kids Phu and Tai before being arrested in February 2017

Defend the Defenders, March 21, 2018

Vietnam’s authorities had transferred prisoner of conscience Tran Thi Nga to Gia Trung camp in the Central Highlands province of Gia Trung, not in Dak Trung camp in the neighboring province of Dak Lak, as they informed the family last month.

Earlier this week, Mr. Phan Van Phong, the father of Ms. Nga’s two kids, and her children went to Dak Trung camp to visit her but they were told that this facility does not hold Ms. Nga nor other political prisoners.  The family was advised to seek for her in Gia Trung camp.

When the family went to Gia Trung camp, its authorities informed them that Nga is held there but not allowed to meet with her family because she had not cooperated with them. Ms. Nga has denied to confess for wrongdoings and refused to wear clothes with word Criminal, the camp’s authorities said.

Phong and the kids passed distance of over 1,200 km without being permitted to meet with her.

It is worth noting that in February, authorities in Ha Nam where Ms. Nga has lived before being arrest, transferred her to the Central Highlands without informing her family.

Earlier this week, Vietnam’s authorities also transferred human rights activist Nguyen Van Oai to Gia Trung camp, which is known as one of camps under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security with severe conditions for prisoners.

After convicted in trials which fail to meet international standards for fair trial, prisoners of conscience have been transferred in camps which are far from their families in a bid to cause troubles for their familíe’ visits. By that, Vietnam’s authorities want to break their strong spirit.

For more information about activist Tran Thi Nga, you can go to our website: /category/tran-thuy-nga/