Vietnam’s Prisoners of Conscience – 2022 Report

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print
Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

December 2022

The Vietnamese government has continued to show its disregard for human rights. As a one-party state, Vietnam has oppressed independent media and outlawed any oppositional political parties. The crackdown on human rights defenders has intensified over the past seven years, with the use of vague penal codes to forcibly limit and suppress freedom of expression and peaceful political opposition. The penal code most often used to silence critical voices is Article 117 (propaganda against the state).

Since the Cybersecurity Law went into effect at the beginning of 2019, the authorities have used social media posts from platforms like Facebook to arrest and imprison activists. In August 2022, the Hanoi regime issued Decree 53 to require tech companies such as Meta and Google to store data locally in Vietnam. This type of policy is another way for the Vietnamese authorities to surveil its populace and restrict free expression. 

Throughout 2022, a large number of activists were arrested and jailed in disregard of international human rights law that Vietnam has ratified, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The government targeted political critics such as prominent writer and activist Pham Doan Trang, who lost her appeal against a 9 year jail sentence, and vlogger Le Van Dung (Le Dung Vova), who was sentenced to 5 years in prison. 

Lately, Hanoi has expanded its repression tactics by detaining individuals speaking up about social injustice and environmental degradation. For example, five monks and a volunteer from an independent Buddhist community (Thien Am Ben Bo Vu Tru) were arrested and sentenced to a total of 23.5 years of prison for “abusing democratic freedoms.” On the other hand, Vietnamese authorities used charges of “tax evasion” to arrest and imprison several environmental activists, some were board members of a network established to monitor the implementation of the European-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

There are more than 300 activists imprisoned in Vietnam for their political opinions. The following biographies of Vietnamese prisoners of conscience are not exhaustive, but it provides an overview about the people who dare protect human rights and challenge authoritarian rule at the risk of spending decades in prison.

Timeline of political arrestations and trials in Vietnam in 2022.

 

Download the 2022 Report in pdf:

 

 

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

LATEST ARTICLES

Vietnam’s Time to Choose

Hanoi’s impending upgrade in relations with Washington is the right move. It needs to follow up by ensuring basic freedoms for its people.   Published

Elevating the bilateral relationship to transform Vietnam

It is time for the Vietnamese Communist Party to abandon its fear of “peaceful evolution” and truly upgrade diplomatic relations with the United States and other democratic countries. This will help Vietnam avoid excessive dependence on China and to promote its own economic development, especially in the strategic areas of advanced technology, workforce development, and environmental protection.

NGOs urge Biden to put pressure on Vietnam for human rights

As you will be visiting Vietnam on September 10th to strengthen the strategic ties between the United States and Vietnam, we, the undersigned organizations, write to express our extreme concern about the human rights situation in Vietnam.

With wary eye on China, U.S. moves closer to former foe Vietnam

The United States and Vietnam are poised to significantly enhance their economic and technological ties, bringing the former foes closer at a time of increased Chinese assertiveness in the region. The deal, expected to be announced when President Biden makes a state visit to Vietnam next weekend, is the latest step by the Biden administration to deepen relations in Asia. For Hanoi, the closer relationship with Washington serves as a counterweight to Beijing’s influence.