The Hanoi People’s Court on Monday sentenced activist Phan Van Bach to five years in prison, his wife Nguyen Thi Yeu told Radio Free Asia.
He was the latest activist to be convicted under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, and he had faced a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.
Bach, 49, was arrested on Dec. 29, 2023, for posting articles and video clips on social media that included content that authorities said “distort the Party’s policies and guidelines, defame the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, deny the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, disseminate edited images that defame state leaders and incite the masses.”
In a trial lasting only one hour, Bach admitted his acts and told the court he should not have done them, his lawyer, Le Van Luan, told RFA. He said Bach does not plan to appeal the verdict.
Ahead of the trial, Bach’s wife told RFA she was concerned about his health. She said when she visited him in pre-trial detention, his weight had dropped to 40 kilograms (88 pounds) compared with 65 kilograms before his arrest.
Bach’s lawyer visited him last week and told Yeu that her husband had received a medical examination at the detention center and his health had improved.
International rights groups say the criminal code’s Article 117, under which he was charged, is vaguely worded in order to provide a catch-all clause to suppress freedom of speech.
Ahead of Bach’s trial, the group Human Rights Watch called for all charges against him to be dropped.
“Phan Van Bach is the latest victim of the Vietnamese government’s ongoing campaign to crush all dissent,” said Patricia Gossman, the group’s associate Asia director. “The list of Vietnamese citizens locked up for speaking their minds is getting longer, even as Vietnam’s trading partners look away from its systemic rights abuses.”
The New York-based group said Vietnamese courts have sentenced at least nine activists to long prison terms since mid August, including Nguyen Chi Tuyen, Tran Van Khanh, and Nguyen Vu Binh.
Seasoned campaigner
Bach took part in demonstrations against China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea in 2011, the Green Trees environment movement in 2015 and protests against a toxic spill from a Formosa Plastics factory in 2016.
In March 2016, Bach put himself forward as an independent candidate for Vietnam’s parliament, the National Assembly, but the Communist Party rejected his nomination.
In 2017, he joined YouTube channel CHTV, reporting on socio-economic issues.
Three members of CHTV are serving prison sentences ranging from five to eight years for the crime of “propaganda against the state.”
After leaving the channel in 2018, Bach concentrated on business projects.
His trial took place one week before Vietnam’s top leader, Secretary General To Lam, plans to visit New York to attend the United Nations Summit of the Future, Human Rights Watch pointed out.
“The only ‘crime’ Phan Van Bach committed was to call on the Vietnamese government to respect human rights and stop abusing its citizens,” Gossman said. “Vietnam’s trade partners, including the U.S., European Union, Australia, and Japan, need to stop sweeping the Vietnam government’s violations under the rug.” (RFA)
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September 17, 2024
Activist Phan Van Bach sentenced to 5 years in prison for online posting
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights]
Activist Phan Van Bach (Fb)
The Hanoi People’s Court on Monday sentenced activist Phan Van Bach to five years in prison, his wife Nguyen Thi Yeu told Radio Free Asia.
He was the latest activist to be convicted under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, and he had faced a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.
Bach, 49, was arrested on Dec. 29, 2023, for posting articles and video clips on social media that included content that authorities said “distort the Party’s policies and guidelines, defame the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, deny the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, disseminate edited images that defame state leaders and incite the masses.”
In a trial lasting only one hour, Bach admitted his acts and told the court he should not have done them, his lawyer, Le Van Luan, told RFA. He said Bach does not plan to appeal the verdict.
Ahead of the trial, Bach’s wife told RFA she was concerned about his health. She said when she visited him in pre-trial detention, his weight had dropped to 40 kilograms (88 pounds) compared with 65 kilograms before his arrest.
Bach’s lawyer visited him last week and told Yeu that her husband had received a medical examination at the detention center and his health had improved.
International rights groups say the criminal code’s Article 117, under which he was charged, is vaguely worded in order to provide a catch-all clause to suppress freedom of speech.
Ahead of Bach’s trial, the group Human Rights Watch called for all charges against him to be dropped.
“Phan Van Bach is the latest victim of the Vietnamese government’s ongoing campaign to crush all dissent,” said Patricia Gossman, the group’s associate Asia director. “The list of Vietnamese citizens locked up for speaking their minds is getting longer, even as Vietnam’s trading partners look away from its systemic rights abuses.”
The New York-based group said Vietnamese courts have sentenced at least nine activists to long prison terms since mid August, including Nguyen Chi Tuyen, Tran Van Khanh, and Nguyen Vu Binh.
Seasoned campaigner
Bach took part in demonstrations against China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea in 2011, the Green Trees environment movement in 2015 and protests against a toxic spill from a Formosa Plastics factory in 2016.
In March 2016, Bach put himself forward as an independent candidate for Vietnam’s parliament, the National Assembly, but the Communist Party rejected his nomination.
In 2017, he joined YouTube channel CHTV, reporting on socio-economic issues.
Three members of CHTV are serving prison sentences ranging from five to eight years for the crime of “propaganda against the state.”
After leaving the channel in 2018, Bach concentrated on business projects.
His trial took place one week before Vietnam’s top leader, Secretary General To Lam, plans to visit New York to attend the United Nations Summit of the Future, Human Rights Watch pointed out.
“The only ‘crime’ Phan Van Bach committed was to call on the Vietnamese government to respect human rights and stop abusing its citizens,” Gossman said. “Vietnam’s trade partners, including the U.S., European Union, Australia, and Japan, need to stop sweeping the Vietnam government’s violations under the rug.” (RFA)