Birth date: December 2, 1957
Activity: Human rights lawyer
Date of arrest: November 5, 2010
Sentence: Sentenced to 7 years imprisonment followed by 3 years house arrest on April 4, 2011
Charge: Propaganda against the socialist state (Article 88)
Current location: Prison Camp 5, Thanh Hoa Province
Cu Huy Ha Vu is a prominent government critic and human rights lawyer. He filed unprecedented lawsuits against the government—including suing Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for violating laws on environmental protection, national security and cultural heritage by approving a Chinese-run bauxite mining project in the Central Highlands. His law firm provided legal assistance to democracy activists and, prior to his arrest, to six Catholics from Con Dau parish who had protested government confiscation of Church properties.