On April 12, the People’s Court of Hanoi held a closed hearing to try local blogger and human rights defender Nguyen Lan Thang on allegation of “Conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
Only his wife and four lawyers were permitted to enter the courtroom. His relatives and friends were kept away from the court’s areas while authorities in Hanoi sent plainclothes agents and militia to bar many activists from going out during the trial.
In early hour of Wednesday’s afternoon, the court announced imprisonment of six years in prison and two years of probation.
Before and after his conviction, many international rights groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Front Line Defenders, etc. and professional organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists condemned the trial and requested Vietnam to free him immediately and unconditionally.
On April 13, blogger Duong Van Thai, 41, who lives in Bangkok as a political refugee since 2018, went missing. A source in Vietnam said he was reportedly taken by Vietnam’s secret police to Hanoi.
The blogger has reported corruption among senior communist officials and internal fighting in the ruling communist party. Communist chief Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, Minister of Public Security To Lam and other senior leaders are among those mentioned in his live streams and writings.
On April 16, the electronic newspaper of Ha Tinh province belonging to the local party and government reported that they detained a man named Duong Van Thai from illegal entering Vietnam. According to the information provided the newspaper, that is Duong Van Thai who went missing in Thailand.
It is likely Duong Van Thai was kidnapped by Vietnam’s secret police near his rent house in Thailand and taken back to the native country where he would face criminal charges of illegal leaving the country five years ago and illegal comeback as well as other allegations of “conducting anti-state propaganda” or “abusing democratic freedom” with lengthy imprisonment if convicted.
After graduating a master course in Agriculture and Land management in Hanoi Agricultural University, Duong Van Thai had worked for a state organization in Dong Anh district, Hanoi. However, he quitted the job after a half year. After that, he participated in a number of protests against authorities, and did charity work in the northern mountainous region.
He participated in ‘The Servants’ Tent’ (Leu Cua Day To), a Fb page sharing information about palaces owned by communist officials.
On his Youtube channels, he didn’t hesitate in making critical, sarcastic and humorous comments about top leaders, including Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, and Deputy Minister of Public Security Tran Quoc To, etc.
Former prisoner of conscience Pham Thanh Nghien and her husband, former political prisoner Huynh Anh Tu and their daughter left Vietnam to live in exile in the US. They arrived in Houston on April 13 to start their new life after years of repression in Vietnam.
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April 17, 2023
Vietnam Defend the Defenders’ Weekly Report for April 10-17, 2023: Blogger Nguyen Lan Thang Convicted, Blogger Duong Van Thai Goes Missing in Thailand
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights], DEFENDER’S WEEKLY • Tags: Defenders' Weekly
Defend the Defenders | April 17, 2023
On April 12, the People’s Court of Hanoi held a closed hearing to try local blogger and human rights defender Nguyen Lan Thang on allegation of “Conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
Only his wife and four lawyers were permitted to enter the courtroom. His relatives and friends were kept away from the court’s areas while authorities in Hanoi sent plainclothes agents and militia to bar many activists from going out during the trial.
In early hour of Wednesday’s afternoon, the court announced imprisonment of six years in prison and two years of probation.
Before and after his conviction, many international rights groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Front Line Defenders, etc. and professional organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists condemned the trial and requested Vietnam to free him immediately and unconditionally.
On April 13, blogger Duong Van Thai, 41, who lives in Bangkok as a political refugee since 2018, went missing. A source in Vietnam said he was reportedly taken by Vietnam’s secret police to Hanoi.
The blogger has reported corruption among senior communist officials and internal fighting in the ruling communist party. Communist chief Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, Minister of Public Security To Lam and other senior leaders are among those mentioned in his live streams and writings.
On April 16, the electronic newspaper of Ha Tinh province belonging to the local party and government reported that they detained a man named Duong Van Thai from illegal entering Vietnam. According to the information provided the newspaper, that is Duong Van Thai who went missing in Thailand.
It is likely Duong Van Thai was kidnapped by Vietnam’s secret police near his rent house in Thailand and taken back to the native country where he would face criminal charges of illegal leaving the country five years ago and illegal comeback as well as other allegations of “conducting anti-state propaganda” or “abusing democratic freedom” with lengthy imprisonment if convicted.
After graduating a master course in Agriculture and Land management in Hanoi Agricultural University, Duong Van Thai had worked for a state organization in Dong Anh district, Hanoi. However, he quitted the job after a half year. After that, he participated in a number of protests against authorities, and did charity work in the northern mountainous region.
He participated in ‘The Servants’ Tent’ (Leu Cua Day To), a Fb page sharing information about palaces owned by communist officials.
On his Youtube channels, he didn’t hesitate in making critical, sarcastic and humorous comments about top leaders, including Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, and Deputy Minister of Public Security Tran Quoc To, etc.
Former prisoner of conscience Pham Thanh Nghien and her husband, former political prisoner Huynh Anh Tu and their daughter left Vietnam to live in exile in the US. They arrived in Houston on April 13 to start their new life after years of repression in Vietnam.