A blogger and YouTuber who mysteriously went missing from Thailand last year and later resurfaced in Vietnamese police custody is scheduled to stand trial in a closed Hanoi courtroom.
Duong Van Thai, 42, is facing anti-state charges under Article 117 of Vietnam’s penal code. The vaguely written provision that rights organizations say is used to silence dissent carries a prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years.
Thai’s family won’t be allowed to attend Wednesday’s trial at the Hanoi People’s Court, a person knowledgeable about the issue told Radio Free Asia.
The trial will be held behind closed doors because it involves many state officials who are alleged to have provided information to Thai, according to the person, who didn’t want to reveal their identity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Thai fled to Thailand in 2019 fearing political persecution for his many posts and videos that criticized the Vietnamese government and leaders of the Communist Party on Facebook and YouTube. He had been granted refugee status by the United Nations refugee agency’s office in Bangkok.
He was interviewed to resettle in a third country right before his disappearance on April 13, 2023, near his rental home in central Thailand’s Pathum Thani province.
Vietnam has neither confirmed nor denied that he was abducted and taken back home, but shortly after his disappearance, authorities announced that they had apprehended him when he attempted to sneak into the country illegally.
Thai’s case has drawn similarities to that of RFA blogger Truong Duy Nhat, who applied for political asylum in Thailand but disappeared in 2019. He later resurfaced in Vietnam and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “abusing position and power while on duty.”
Charges against Thai were announced in mid-2023. Family members have hired two lawyers, Le Dinh Viet and Le Van Luan, to provide legal assistance for Thai at the trial.
RFA attempted to contact the Hanoi People’s Court on Tuesday but was unable to reach a spokesperson. (RFA)
Height Insoles: Hi, I do believe this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon …
http://fishinglovers.net: Appreciate you sharing, great post.Thanks Again. Keep writi…
Achilles Pain causes: Every weekend i used to pay a quick visit this site, as i w…
October 30, 2024
Blogger believed to have been abducted from Thailand set for trial in Hanoi
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights]
Vietnamese blogger Duong Van Thai.
A blogger and YouTuber who mysteriously went missing from Thailand last year and later resurfaced in Vietnamese police custody is scheduled to stand trial in a closed Hanoi courtroom.
Duong Van Thai, 42, is facing anti-state charges under Article 117 of Vietnam’s penal code. The vaguely written provision that rights organizations say is used to silence dissent carries a prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years.
Thai’s family won’t be allowed to attend Wednesday’s trial at the Hanoi People’s Court, a person knowledgeable about the issue told Radio Free Asia.
The trial will be held behind closed doors because it involves many state officials who are alleged to have provided information to Thai, according to the person, who didn’t want to reveal their identity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Thai fled to Thailand in 2019 fearing political persecution for his many posts and videos that criticized the Vietnamese government and leaders of the Communist Party on Facebook and YouTube. He had been granted refugee status by the United Nations refugee agency’s office in Bangkok.
He was interviewed to resettle in a third country right before his disappearance on April 13, 2023, near his rental home in central Thailand’s Pathum Thani province.
Closed-circuit video from his neighborhood captured what many believe to be Thai’s panicked shrieks from just off-camera.
Vietnam has neither confirmed nor denied that he was abducted and taken back home, but shortly after his disappearance, authorities announced that they had apprehended him when he attempted to sneak into the country illegally.
Thai’s case has drawn similarities to that of RFA blogger Truong Duy Nhat, who applied for political asylum in Thailand but disappeared in 2019. He later resurfaced in Vietnam and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “abusing position and power while on duty.”
Charges against Thai were announced in mid-2023. Family members have hired two lawyers, Le Dinh Viet and Le Van Luan, to provide legal assistance for Thai at the trial.
RFA attempted to contact the Hanoi People’s Court on Tuesday but was unable to reach a spokesperson. (RFA)