December 10, 2025
Viet Tan is honored to present the 2025 Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award to the Family of Prisoner of Conscience Can Thi Theu, one of the most resilient figures of Vietnam’s land rights and human rights movements.
The theme for this year’s award is Standing With The Families Of Prisoners Of Conscience.
Established in 2018, the Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the advancement of human rights and social justice in Vietnam. The award is named after activist Le Dinh Luong, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the communist regime for his efforts to protect the rights of the people and the sovereignty of the country.
For more than 15 years, the Can Thi Theu family has led peaceful efforts to defend land rights, expose state violence, and support victims of injustice, despite repeated imprisonment, harassment, and severe retaliation.
From the “Dan Oan Duong Noi” land-rights movement to documenting abuses such as the 2020 Dong Tam police attack, Can Thi Theu and her sons — prisoners of conscience Trinh Ba Phuong and Trinh Ba Tu — have brought national and international attention to the issues of land rights and freedom of expression in Vietnam. All three are currently imprisoned for their peaceful activism but remain unbroken in spirit.
Family members outside prison — Trinh Ba Khiem (Theu’s husband), Trinh Thi Thao (Theu’s daughter) and Do Thi Thu (Phuong’s wife) — continue to face constant police surveillance and harassment. Despite this pressure, they tirelessly support their imprisoned loved ones, report on their conditions, and speak up for other prisoners of conscience.
Recognized by international organizations including Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, and Human Rights Watch, the family’s extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to peaceful activism make them profoundly deserving of this year’s award.
The 2025 Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award ceremony will be held on December 14, 2025, in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii.
This year’s distinguished selection committee includes:
- Adrian Tam – Hawaii State Representative
- John Waiheʻe IV – Trustee-at-Large, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
- Christoph Schürhaus – Co-Chair of ACAT Germany
- Writer Tran Trung Dao
- Attorney Dang Dinh Manh
- Attorney Le Quoc Quan
- Professor Pham Minh Hoang
Now in its eighth year, the Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award not only celebrates the unwavering spirit and sacrifice of Vietnam’s human rights defenders, but also calls on human rights defenders everywhere — inside and outside Vietnam — to stand together so that no family must face the struggle for human rights alone.
For more information, please contact Dr. Suzie Dong Xuyen at +1 346-704-4744.
