Mr. Danh Minh Quang detained by Vietnam’s police on July 31, 2023
HRW, February 11, 2024
On February 7, a court in My Xuyen district (Soc Trang province) put Danh Minh Quang, a 37 year old Khmer Krom, on trial for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the State” under article 331 of the penal code. The court convicted and sentenced him to three years and six months in prison. His trial lasted only a few hours.
Danh Minh Quang was arrested on July 31, 2023, for allegedly posting on Facebook video clips critical of the local government.
Statement by Human Rights Watch:
“The government of Soc Trang province shamelessly trampled on the right of freedom of expression and retaliated against a citizen for simply stating his politically independent views on social media. The authorities should immediately release Danh Minh Quang and drop all charges against him. The National Assembly of Vietnam should urgently amend the penal code and repeal rights-abused articles, including article 331 which is systematically being used by the Vietnamese government to violate rights of ordinary people across the country.”
Background:
Danh Minh Quang, 37, is a Khmer Krom living in Soc Trang province. According to the authorities, Danh Minh Quang had posted on Facebook many video clips that “propagandized and distorted the State’s national issues, democracy and human rights; he slandered the local government of being negative in implementing the support policy to help people affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, and urged the online community to share what he posted.”
According to the Soc Trang government, they have used various measures such as “meeting, warning, educating,” and “imposing administrative fines” against Danh Minh Quang, but he ignored them. They assert that his posts have “negatively affected the thoughts of a number of people, the solidarity between the people, and negatively affected the perception and implementation of the State’s views and policies on democracy and human rights.”
In March 2023, Danh Minh Quang and fellow Khmer Krom were interrogated by the police of Soc Trang for attending an event celebrating International Women Day and wearing T-shirts that had the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation symbol.
According to the 2019 statistics, there are about 1.3 million ethnic Khmer Krom in Vietnam, of which more than 360,000 are living in Soc Trang, approximately one third of the province’s population. There have been many incidents of conflict between local government and Khmer Krom groups who demand indigenous rights and freedom of religion.
Vietnam has not ratified ILO Convention No. 169 and does not recognize ethnic minorities as Indigenous Peoples.
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February 12, 2024
Statement by Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director, Human Rights Watch on Imprisonment of Danh Ming Quang in Vietnam
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights]
Mr. Danh Minh Quang detained by Vietnam’s police on July 31, 2023
HRW, February 11, 2024
On February 7, a court in My Xuyen district (Soc Trang province) put Danh Minh Quang, a 37 year old Khmer Krom, on trial for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the State” under article 331 of the penal code. The court convicted and sentenced him to three years and six months in prison. His trial lasted only a few hours.
Danh Minh Quang was arrested on July 31, 2023, for allegedly posting on Facebook video clips critical of the local government.
Statement by Human Rights Watch:
“The government of Soc Trang province shamelessly trampled on the right of freedom of expression and retaliated against a citizen for simply stating his politically independent views on social media. The authorities should immediately release Danh Minh Quang and drop all charges against him. The National Assembly of Vietnam should urgently amend the penal code and repeal rights-abused articles, including article 331 which is systematically being used by the Vietnamese government to violate rights of ordinary people across the country.”
Background:
Danh Minh Quang, 37, is a Khmer Krom living in Soc Trang province. According to the authorities, Danh Minh Quang had posted on Facebook many video clips that “propagandized and distorted the State’s national issues, democracy and human rights; he slandered the local government of being negative in implementing the support policy to help people affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, and urged the online community to share what he posted.”
According to the Soc Trang government, they have used various measures such as “meeting, warning, educating,” and “imposing administrative fines” against Danh Minh Quang, but he ignored them. They assert that his posts have “negatively affected the thoughts of a number of people, the solidarity between the people, and negatively affected the perception and implementation of the State’s views and policies on democracy and human rights.”
In March 2023, Danh Minh Quang and fellow Khmer Krom were interrogated by the police of Soc Trang for attending an event celebrating International Women Day and wearing T-shirts that had the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation symbol.
According to the 2019 statistics, there are about 1.3 million ethnic Khmer Krom in Vietnam, of which more than 360,000 are living in Soc Trang, approximately one third of the province’s population. There have been many incidents of conflict between local government and Khmer Krom groups who demand indigenous rights and freedom of religion.
Vietnam has not ratified ILO Convention No. 169 and does not recognize ethnic minorities as Indigenous Peoples.