Authors:

Dr.Nguyễn Đan Quế, Catholic Priest Phan Văn Lợi, Buddhist Venerable Thích Không Tánh,

Phạm Bá Hải (MBE), Lawyer Lê Công Định, Phạm Chí Dũng (PhD.),

Engineer Lê Thăng Long, Engineer Phạm Văn Trội.

Translators:

Pham Doan Trang, Nguyen Trang Nhung, Vu Quoc Ngu

 

Contents

1. OVERVIEW OF VIETNAM SITUATION IN 2015-2016. 2
2. HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN 2015. 5

2.1        Harassment in 2015. 5

2.2        Violent cases in 2015. 20

2.3        Imprisonment in 2015: 9 cases. 33

3. HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN 2016. 34

3.1        Harassment in 2016. 34

3.2        Violent cases in 2016. 47

3.3          Imprisonment in 2016: 11 cases. 67

4. LIST OF 66 PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE CURRENTLY IN JAIL.. 68

 

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1.       OVERVIEW OF VIETNAM SITUATION IN 2015-2016

Along with the proliferation of the global internet network, forms of access and space of expression of Vietnam’s social issues have been expanded. It is increasingly difficult for the authoritarian communist government to conceal information concerning shortcomings, corruption, interest groups, etc. To maintain the one-party regime, the Vietnamese communist party, on one hand, strictly punishes any journalists, any presses posting news that is disadvantageous for them, on the other hand, attacks, by any possible means and mechanisms, participants of the social network Facebook who lead public opinions not to follow the will of the party.

First of all, the government attacks members of social networks, including dissidents, human rights defenders, civilians who are victims of shortcomings from the state’s management policies. The system of network police and local police indentify “resistant objects” then implements harassment methods. The methods include: detentions and summons to the police stations, pressure on their families, house search, the facto under house arrest (for the objects not to leave the house), administrative procedures difficulties, limited freedom of movement, slandering, defamation, verbal or behavioral humiliation, etc. Once police aim to harass some person, they have numerous manners to harm activities of the person they are focusing on.

When harassment methods are insufficient to upset human rights defenders, they use more brutal methods. One method is violence. They beat activists in police stations, on streets or at their houses. Perpetrators are often in plainclothes agents while uniformed police use their blows in buildings. The violent methods also include causing traffic accidents targeting activists.

Almost beaten people expressed their confidence to continue their ways to fight for freedom, justice that they choose, so next method used by the authoritarian regime is arbitrary detentions and arrest. The Penal Code 1999 with controversial articles such as Articles 79, 88, 258, 257, 245 were generated to imprison people who are harmful for the party’s rule. Those who advocate political pluralism and multi-party regime, forming political parties to directly challenge the party’s policical monopoly shall be convicted with Article 79 “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration”. Those who use media systematically to propagate information, opinion in contrary with the state’s policies shall be convicted of Article 88 “Conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. Those who express their own opinion on social networks to make people no longer believe in the party shall be convicted of Article 258 “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens”. Article 257 “Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” shall be imposed on those who dare to resist suppressive force.

Detetion is a method that isolates dissidents from the society. So cases in which activists were forced to be in mental hospitals (such as Le Anh Hung, Nguyen Trung Linh), rehabilitation centers (such as Bui Thi Minh Hang), or under house arrest (such as Buddhist monk Thich Quang Do, Catholic priest Phan Van Loi) all are manners invading human dignity most severely. Encouraging strugglers, political dissidents to migrate or seek for alyssum (maybe directly from prison) in foreign countries is one among these manners of isolation.

More brutally, harassment, beatings and detentions subtly have factors of economic sabotage, such as creating obstacles in jobs, pressuring employers to fire activists, demanding customers not to buy their products, confiscing production tools used by human rights activists, obstructing financial support, etc. Especially, acts of robbery and destruction of property of dissidents in cheeky ways have been prevailed increasingly.

The Vietnamese government is almost accomplishing the engine for the strategy of harassment-beating-detention. It has been deploying public security forces in plainclothes and thugs to assault activists nationwide. This is a strategy to ensure that no significant opposition forces can survive in Vietnam to compete with the ruling communist party. The statistical figures of three recent years show this fact.

Different from human rights report 2014 (Vietnam: Member of the United Nations Human Rights Council and Human Rights Violation 2014), this report by the Former Vietnamese Prisons of Conscience focuses on the relationship between the government and dissidents, human rights defenders. The figures in this statistics do not fully reflect the relationship, were collected via media systems inside and outside the country and the network of the Former Vietnamese Prisons of Conscience.

The chart comparing harassment-violence-arrest of the three years show that violent victims increased remarkably (65-157-202) and the brutality also increased, while arrests  decreased from 46 (2014) to 9 and 11 in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

The arrow line of the two parameters of beating and detainment shows that the situation of human rights violation in 2017 would be even worse with a series of bloody beatings and detainments of three activists (Nguyen Van Hoa, Nguyen Van Oai and Tran Thi Nga) in the first two month of this 2017.

The Former Vietnamese Prisons of Conscience appeal to the Vietnamese government having to:

1. Terminate using violence to attack dissidents;
2. Respect dignity and human rights of the people when they use their rights, especially the right to peaceful expression in public places;
3. Recognize and facilitate civil society organizations to develop independently;
4. Release unconditionally all of 66 prisoners of conscience who are still detained.

2.       HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN 2015

2.1    Harassment in 2015

     1. The police of Southwestern provinces blocked the launching of Central Executive Committee.of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist Church

On January 2, the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist Church planned to launch its new Central Executive Committee, but the police of Western provinces stopped the believers to participate in the event.

2. The government harassed husband and wife of former prison of conscience Nguyen Thanh Phong

On January 15, former prisoners of conscience Nguyen Thanh Phong and his wife Nguyen Ngoc Ha were blocked by the police of Cho Moi district, Tien Giang province from going to attend a ceremony to celebrate the birth day of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church leader on January 22-25.

Mr.Vo Van Thanh Liem, the head of Quan Minh pagoda told that the police barred Hoa Hao believers from attending the ceremony. Many followers were beaten near the pagoda.

3. Journalist Pham Doan Trang was detained and interrogated many hours at Tan Son Nhat airport

On January 26, journalist Phạm Đoan Trang, was detained upon arrival to Tan Son Nhat airport from the Philippines. She was interrogated for many hours before being released in the morning of the next day.

In early 2014, she participated in a delegation going to the U.S and some other countries to lobby for human rights in Vietnam. One event that the delegation joined was Universal Periodic Review on human rights in Vietnam in the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva (Swiss) on May 5, 2014. She attended a 10-month course at the University of Southern California.

4. An English class of the Brotherhood for Democracy was sabotaged

On January 27, some policemen guarded in front of an English class and filmed each student after the class. One day after, officials of some universities called some their students to threat them not to attend the class. Some students were called to threaten that their family would be informed about this. Father of a student was summoned at the commune to threaten. Ms. Le Thu Ha, an English teacher, also was put in house arrest at 10 Doan Tran Nghiep, from the morning of January 30. They stated that they would keep her until the weekend.

5. The government of Con Cuong district – Nghe An prevented people to do charity work

With the spirit of charity, love and help to poor ethnic people in the mountain areas of western Nghe An, on the occasion of the coming new lunar year, in the morning of January 28, a charitable group including father JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc and about 20 catholic peoples of Song Ngoc parish, Vinh diocese passed nearly 200 kilometers to Dan Lai region of Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district.

However, when the group met the people, they looked at the group with strange eyes. One man in Dan Lai region said: “From early morning, 4 to 5 groups of the commune came and said to us that we should not receive gifts from strangers, and if we wanted to receive, we must given permission by the commune.”

Mr. Hung, the head of Con Cuong district’ police answered: “According to Decree 34, if you want to give gifts in border areas, you must register to the local government and Fatherland Front, and if you have not registered yet, you give gifts to Fatherland Front to give to the people.” After that, the head of the village met and discuss with father JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc. He said: “Now we receive gifts and deliver to the people, you should leave”. Father Thuc agreed and proposed: “It is alright. However, you must let us to take some photos to keep as a souvenir.” He said that: “Superior directed Fatherland Front to receive gifts and when delivering gifts, taking photos is not allowed.”

Before that situation, father JB Nguyen Dinh Thuc and the group’s members refused. The group had to take gifts back while the people need and wait to be given gifts.

6. Thugs disturbed at the house of Nguyen Van Dai

Nguyen Van Dai narrated on his facebook: “About 10h30 AM on 30 January 2015, I was sitting to watch TV while the door was open. A young “thug” about 25 years old, tall, thin, appeared and inquired of Nguyen Van Dai’s house. I spoke up to confirm then this “thug” curse with aggressive attitude. Realizing the danger, I rushed out to close and latch the door. The “thug” beaten, kicked the door, spoke up threatening to burn house, attack by violence with a reason that I lured his brother to participate in activities. After that, the “thug” left, I opened the door, looked down the ground of the residential area and saw that two “thugs” were standing there and cursing. I asked “What’s the matter with you? What is your brother’s name? Where is he? The two “thugs” did not reply. One picked up a brick on the ground and rushed to my house second time. I entered the house and closed the door. The two “thugs” used their hands, feet to smash, break the door. After breaking a piece of the door, they ran away.”

7. Police and thugs came to the house of Tran Thi Nga

Ms. Tran Thi Nga narrated: “At 15h45 on 2 March 2015, Nguyen Van Ky from Nghe An to Ha Noi came to visit me. When we were sitting, drinking and eating guava, thugs came. Some suppressed, some filmed to repress our spirit. The police harassed and asked to check temporary resident to Ky and requested him to go to the police office since he had not registered temporary resident. We objected unreasonable and illegal behaviour of the police because there was no law requiring that friends coming to visit must declare temporary resident. These thugs were the police of Phu Ly city and Ha Nam province. They threatened to kill me. They created report and signed by themselves, then together robed the banner on the wall there and left.”

8. Letter of protest of the Vietnam Council of Inter-Religion about Thua Thien province’s local government prohibited the meeting with wounded soldiers of Republic of Vietnam at Phuoc Thanh church, Hue city

On March 10, the communist authorities of Thua Thien Hue province met monks at Phuoc Thanh pagoda, forced the monks to cancel the meeting “gratefulness to wounded soldiers of Republic of Vietnam” hold on coming 15 March, with the attendance of some members of the Vietnam Council of Inter-Religion. The communist authorities said that this gathering, meeting was not good. Besides, the police met many wounded soldiers, confiscated their invitation letters and forced people to commit not to come to Phuoc Thanh pagoda.

The police kept papers of two drivers, escorted 12 dignitaries to get on cars to leave the region, with the reason that this region was too complicated and sensitive. The police confiscated papers of the monks and promised them that after they passed over Hai Van pass, papers would be returned to them.

9. Public opinion sharper sabotaged Gac Ma memorial ceremony

The event to commemorate Vietnamese soldiers died in Gac Ma was disturbed by a group of public opinion sharpers. Answering BBC, blogger Nguyen Lan Thang told that on 14 March 2015, about 200 to 300 people gathered before the area of Ly Thai To monument, Ha Noi, “to incense to commemorate soldiers dies in Gac Ma battle in 1988. All people present were interested in the situation of the country and the islands.”

However, the people were sabotaged by a group of young people who called themselves as public opinion sharpers. They took hammer and sickle flag to cover memorial activities. They also screamed, disturbed and even aggressed to some people.

10. Priest Phan Van Loi and superior Thich Khong Tanh were harassed, threatened

On March 22, Ven. Thich Khong Tanh and Priest Phan Van Loi were harassed by the local police when they met at the private house of priest Phan Van Loi. While superior Thich Khong Tanh and priest Phan Van Loi were talking, 4 to 5 plainclothes police came to the house, screamed and cursed to provoke monk Thich Khong Tanh to curse.

Priest Phan Van Loi contacted with the director of Thua Thien Hue province’s police and the director of Hue city’s police to resolve the problem but both of them did not come.

11. Priest Anthony Le Ngoc Thanh was banned from going abroad and had passport confiscated

The security of Tan Son Nhat airport border gate blocked and banned priest Anthony Le Ngoc Thanh, Redemptorist, from going abroad, and confiscated his passport, at 14h10 on March 22. They provided the only reason of the ban that was he had not been allowed to go abroad as the police of Ho Chi Minh City proposed.

12. Vietnamese communist security force kidnap bloggers Pham Doan Trang

In the afternoon of March 26, journalist Pham Doan Trang was arrested when she was with the family of death row prisoner Nguyen Van Chuong going to visit the US’s embassy and European Union. She was surrounded and arrested by 3 plainclothes policemen, 2 male and 1 female, right before Opera House, Trang Tien street (Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi). Right after that, they forced her to get on a car with blue plate of Ministry of Public Security (plate number 80B-2530) then took her to some unknown place. When people who were with her came to interfere, they were blocked by a motorcycle.

13. Activist Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh was put in house arrest

Mr. Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh was prevented by local authorities in movement as well as put in house arrest during the General Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union 132 (IPU-132). He told that from 28 March to 1 April, he was put in house arrest. He wrote a banner to send to the government to stop using violence to rule people.

14. Huynh Trong Hieu reported about harassment of police from March 16 until April 2

The government came to the hostel of Huynh Trong Hieu to harass by checking people and temporary resident. They came there 7 times with their force. They use trick of thugs to curse. Even threaten to kill his family.

Despite of harassment, his family would still continue its work, He and many partners were working together in a newly born civil society group that was Religion and Ethnic Minorities Defenders.

15. Police arbitrarily arrested student Tran Quang Trung

At 20h30 on March 28 in Ha Noi, young man Tran Quang Trung (facebooker Ly Quang Son), 24 years old, a law student of Open University, was arrested by 20 to 30 plainclothes policemen, with unknown reason. After one day arresting Trung at the police office of Nam Dinh province, they released him at 20h on 29 March. However, after less than one hour, at about 21h, the police came to his house again and force him and his father to follow them. After that, it was impossible to contact with Trung and his father. He was released after 2 days of arrest.

Tran Quang Trung was a very active student in community activities, demonstrations against China. Recently, Trung attended protecting green trees in Hanoi after a massive cutting off.

16. Pham Ba Hai barred from going to Hanoi to meet foreign legislators, many other people were surrounded at home

In the morning of March 28, when preparing to go to Ha Noi to meet with foreign countries’ congressmen on the occasion of 132th meeting of Inter-Parliament Union (IPU) to send petition, many members of the Former Prisoners of Conscience were blocked, harassed and some were detained by police.

In Sai Gon, Mr. Pham Ba Hai was barred from taking a flight to Ha Noi to meet with congressmen on the next day. Mr. Pham Ba Hai said to RFA:

 “Last afternoon, at about 6, someone called me outside the house. When I walked out, I saw that there were two policemen discussing and they told that they executed their superior’s order to ask me not to go to Ha Noi the next day. I said to them that the meeting was with foreign countries’ representatives, who were official guests of Vietnamese government. This meeting was very necessary and I was entitled to go. The police said that they had a prohibition order. In the morning of the next day, when I took my car to go to Tan Son Nhat airport, they followed. They were very crowded, including forces from the levels of city, district, and commune. They surrounded us and hoped that I would turn back home and if I opposed, they would ask me to go to police office to question.

The arrangement of meeting with representatives at the Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union 132, as predicted, could get trouble. However, Mr. Pham Ba Hai, the person in charge in moderating the assembly told that he would depute an another member to give the petition letter as he intent: “Now, as I know, a lot of people in Ha Noi are keptunder house arrest and cannot go out. However, we try to depute a representative to meet, give to them the petition letter of the Former Prisoners of Conscience with 20 civil society organizations.”

Two bloggers in Nha Trang, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh and Vo Truong Thien, were kidnapped by police on Nguyen Tat Thanh avenue.

17. Police arrested, detained many activists at home to block their meetings with the US’s diplomatic officers

On 5 May, security force throughout Vietnam arrested or blocked many activists and human rights activists at their house in an effort to stop them to attend a meeting with the US’s diplomatic officers prior to Vietnam – America dialog sessions of human rights.

Among persons disturbed, there were former prisons of conscience such as doctor Pham Hong Son, Nguyen Van Troi, human rights lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen, doctor Nguyen Dan Que, monk Thich Thien Minh, writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, activists Nguyen Van De, Le Hong Phong and Mai Phuong Thao, etc.

18. Vietnamese police ban mass of activists from travel abroad

On May 7, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung went to the airport for Thailand. At 10h, she was blocked from taking a flight to Bangkok as border security forces stopped her based on the proposal of the Binh Thuan province’s police.

At Noi Bai airport, at 10h45 of  the same day, Mr. Le Anh Hung and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy from Hai Phong province (Maria Thuy Nguyen) were blocked from taking their flights to Bangkok.

Before that, in the evening of 5 till the early morning of May 6, Nguyen Tuong Trong was blocked at Noi Bai border gate when about flying to the Philippines. The reason of the block written in the report was that: “According to the request by the police of Ha Noi City (PA88).

19. The government disturbed a popular English class so it must close

Pham Minh Dap is the founder of a free English class named “Stand by you” in Ha Noi. From September 2014 till the time of this report, thousands of students joined this class.

Pham Minh Dap sometimes spoke up about social issue, promoting human rights. On April 13, police suddenly asked Dap to come their police office to question. After that, the authorities continuously checked license, voluntary papers of foreign volunteers. On May 25, Dap represented the class’s executive board to inform that “Stop activities at the English House Stand by You”.

20. Police requested activist Pham Chi Dung to stop activities of the Independent Journalists Association

In the morning of June 25, at about 8 GMT time, Mr. Pham Chi Dung, the president of the Independent Journalists Association, was forced by about 20 policemen to get on a car to go to the investigating body to “question about issues related to the case of Nguyen Quang Lap”. The police also requested Mr. Dung to end the activities of the Vietnam Times of the Independent Journalists Association. After about 8 hours of being detained and questioned, Pham Chi Dung was released at the afternoon end of the same day.

21. Police arrested people arbitrarily, sabotaged the meeting celebrating International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

In the noon of June 26, nearly 20 policemen suddenly rushed into Luxury hotel in Ha Noi, suppressed and arrested arbitrarily 3 bloggers Pham Doan Trang, Pham Le Vuong Cac and Nguyen Hong Hai.

The reason the police arrested the bloggers was that they wanted to block the meeting celebrating International Day in Support of Victims of Torture taking place at 4.30-6.30 PM at Saturday Café, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi.

22. Ta Minh Tu was not issued passport

Female activist Ta Minh Tu, the sister of imprisoned blogger Ta Phong Tan, went to the Immigration Office of Bac Lieu province to ask about the progress of issuing passport. The authorities informed that she was denied to issue passport because she had close relationship with the Association of Vietnamese Women for Human Rights, which was considered as illegal by the government.

23. Young men wearing Zombie was detained 12 days by police

In the evening of July 11, a crowed force of public security and civil defence suddenly rushed to the fountain area near Nguyen Hue street, surrounded and arrested some young men here with the reason that they were wearing shirt with Zombie logo.

Zombie logo is an image representing a spontaneous movement of Vietnamese young people, was inspired by a rap of Nah rapper – Nguyen Vu Son, what is named DMCS (that means “F*ck communism”). The rap condemns the communist regime, speaks up the social situation in Vietnam and urges the youth to awake, unblock their brains, open their eyes, not to be like Zombie – corpses without soul just know how to move.

Most young men were released then, only Nguyen Phi remained to be detained without order of detainment, also without announcement to his family about the detainment place.

After that, in the afternoon of July 13, the police escorted Nguyen Phi to his house to search for Zombie shirt and confiscated his computer. The police did not allow him to tell his family any words as well as not allowed his family to know the detainment place.

24. The Vietnamese communist state banned 4 human rights activists from going abroad

Vietnamese security stopped four human rights activist to go abroad on Sunday, July 12 when they were about to go to Thailand. People banned from exit included Vu Quoc Ngu, Huynh Thuc Vy, Nguyen Thi Hoang and Tran Thi To. This happened at the international Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports on the ground of national security.

The police also confiscated passports of Huynh Thuc Vy and Nguyen Thi Hoang.

25. Thugs throwed stone and dirt into the house of priest Phan Van Loi

In the evening of July 21, many strangers threw 6 stinking bags into the house of priest Phan Van Loi in Hue city. The stinking smell emitted very strong. Furthermore, they threw stones onto the roof.

The priest told that his family had no animosity with anybody, except the Vietnamese communist government about what he did in defending justice and truths, as well as in promoting democracy and liberty in many years. The authorities sent him anonymous letters to threaten him many times and at that time they did one more trick that was throwing dirt into his house.

26. The house of doctor Nguyen Thanh Giang was blocked

On July 21, doctor Nguyen Thanh Giang had a meeting with 25 guests in his own house to celebrate that Vietcombank had paid him his money but police blocked people to come to his house, prohibited people to take photo and film.

27. Traffic police admitted security’s command to confiscate vehicle papers illegally and arbitrarily

Mr. Nguyen Van Trang (facebook Vo Danh Khach) narrated the story on July 12 as follows:

Need people to help speaking up!!!

20 days ago, the police of Thanh Hoa province came to my house but did not see me. They found many ways to impact on my relatives for me to turn back home to meet them, but they did not succeed. They asked traffic police to block my motorcycle controlled by my brother and confiscated all the papers of the motorcycle. They took advantage that my brother was not knowledgeable about law, they did not make report of confiscation, just left phone number and one traffic policeman requested: “Within 3 days, ask your brother to turn back home to work on”. A few days ago, I went to the police office of Hau Loc district’s to work on, the traffic policeman eluded with the reason that he was busy due to family’s affair and talked to me via phone call. When I questioned him why he did not make report of confiscation, he denied that he made it; hence I proposed him to give me the report when he returned to work but he hung up. Today is the appointment day, I called him back but he challenged that he did not know when he would return to work because he was taking leave. I proposed that he would depute another person to work with me but he said that “I would not like to depute”.

28. The Vietnamese communist government blocked activists in movement

.On July 23, many activists fighting for human rights in Vietnam were blocked to go out, including Pham Ba Hai and doctor Nguyen Dan Que.

Mr. Pham Ba Hai said that: “At 9h30 on 23 July 2015, the police of Ha Noi suddenly broke into the hotel I was staying in. The police controlled and arrested me to the police office on Hang Trong street, Hoan Kiem district. In here, they asked me unreasonable questions. I did not answer, was just silent. After 2 hours not being able to collect any information, they said straight that “ask you to return to the permanent resident area in Ho Chi Minh City” If I did not not execute this order by myself, they would force me to turn back there because of political security and social order and safety, admitting the order of the President of Ha Noi City People’s Committee, Mr. Nguyen The Thao. However, I did not sign the report because they did not give any copies of the report for me to keep as evidence.

In the same day, police also guarded in front of the house of doctor Nguyen Dan Que, not allowing him to go out.

29. Police forced Nguyen Thi Duc, an old woman (80 years old), to out of her family’s care

According to the complaint of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom (51 years old) in Ha Nam province, her family accused the government to use violence to separate her mother (Ms. Ha Thi Duc) from her, taking Ms. Duc to unknown place when she took Ms. Duc to come to the trial judging her brother Nguyen Van Thien on July 29. The complaint said:

From 6 AM on 29 July 2015, a lot of people, including police came around to my family, They blocked all roads to my house, did not allowed taxi to come near. With help of my relatives and the people there, we held my mother to pass over a canal, a railroad to reach 21A street. We use taxi to take my mother to go. We saw that many people disturbed, in which, some police blocked the taxi. They pressed their vehicles to the taxi. The driver so feared, saying that he would not take us longer. He let us out of the taxi, down to Bang Khe street. I and my sister had to let my mother lay on a folding bed on a road side.

Public security forces used blocked us to move again. We had to hold our mother to pass through an iron fence line. We used a cart to take my mother. Then a container car blocked across. After we pulled the cart for more than 1 kilometre, a crowd of people disturbed us. We shouted loud for help. Among the crowd, there were police and civilians (no one helped us). Then the police left there after catching my mother from our hands eventually. They also took a merit of war against France and a paper of committing to battle of Thien that we intent to bring to the court to prove that Thien was not person often disturbing people. After that, we resigned ourselves to go to the court with hope that it would set my brother free. However, we could not expect that he was punished with 4 years in prison. It was injustice. After the trial, the people there were empathetic with him that he was a victim of justice (just because he fought against corruption).

The police kept my mother in custody without informing us about her. Until she passed away, they informed us to take my mother’s body.

30. Many activists were put under house arrest in the visit of Malinowski to Vietnam

Plainclothes police and security officers prevented many pro-democracy and human rights activists from leaving their houses to attend the meeting with the US Secretary Assistant about democracy, human rights, and labor, Mr. Tom Malinowski. The activists included Ms. Duong Thi Tan, doctor Nguyen Dan Que, professor Pham Minh Hoang, independent journalist Pham Chi Dung, former prison of conscience Nguyen Bac Truyen, and young Buddhist activist Le Cong Cau.

31. Hermit Le Cong Cau was prevented by the police of Hue city to go to Sai Gon for a meeting with a German Congressman

On August 12, the German Consulate General in Sai Gon sent an invitation letter to Secretary General of the Hoa Dao Institute, hermit Lê Công Cầu, to attend an intimate lunch at 1.40 AM of on August 25 in Park Hyatt hotel, Sai Gon.

On August 23, the police of Hue city came to the hermit’s house to prevent him to go to Ho Chi Minh City as invited by the German Consulate General. He said that this was the third time in 2015 he had been prevented from meeting with foreign delegations.

32. The police of Lam Dong province harassed, threaten Tran Minh Nhat

Tran Minh Nhat and friends in the day of his jail term ended.

In the morning of September 7, former prison of conscience Tran Minh Nhat in Da Don commune, Lam Ha district, Lam Dong province was harassed, threatened when he was just released from prison.

Tran Minh Nhat said that: “The police of Lam Ha district invited him to the police office of Da Don commune to work on probation sentence. When he just appeared in the police office, they showed aggressive attitude, intent to beat, and had some threaten words. One policeman said: “You must executed probation sentence seriously, otherwise you will see. Do not complain about the unsafety of your life subsequently.”

33. Activist Fined with VND5 million for individual blog

A blogger in Vung Tau told that he had just received a decision of the inspector of Department of Information and Communications of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, with a fine of VND5 million for posting content on individual blog.

Besides a fine, the decision also stated “remedial measure: removing unlawful posts on electronic information page.” On September 10, blogger Đoàn Hữu Long, the owner of the page http://doanhuulong.blogspot.ca believed that the decision to him just “pulled the trigger” after a chain of events he wrote about from 2012 and he had been invited to work on this matter by the police.

34. Member of the program “TV of conscience” was harassed and threatened

An activist in Ha Noi, lawyer Nguyen Van Dai reported about TV of conscience (Lương Tâm TV) which launched the first program on August 10 as follows:

“TV of conscience has just showed 3 programs already and on average, it shows 1 program per week. Yesterday, I intent to build the 4^th program, however, the security office knew in advance so they prevented by arresting all members in the group.”

“After working with the security office, some people shared information that Mr. Pham Dac Dat said the police caused a traffic accident on the way he went. After that, some plainclothes policemen attacked, beaten him very sorely. While he was being beaten, uniformed policemen came and ask the both sides to go to the police office to resolve the problem. When reaching the place, the attackers were set free right away, only he was kept to work. During the work session, he just requested them to write report and investigate people who caused the traffic accident and beaten him. When they questioned about the TV of conscience, he did not say anything. When the police did not do anything else, they confiscated his camera, searched his body and took from him 100 USD. Mr. Cuong at that time was moving, and also was blocked and forced to go to a police office of a ward to work. During the work session, he also did not answer any questions of the police. They also confiscated laptop, cell phone and table of his.

Mr. Nguyen Vu Binh had house searched, tablet, papers, cell phone and laptop confiscated. Ms. Ha had nothing confiscated but had to work with police from 9AM till 2-3AM of the next day.

Total confiscated properties cost around USD 3,500.

35. The police of Dong Thap province harassed many participants of death ceremony of dignitaries the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church

Many people attending the death anniversary of Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, the chief of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist Central Church in Tan Phuoc commune (Lai Vung, Dong Thap) on September 25 were harassed by the police of Dong Thap police. The police not only blocked, but also disguised themselves as thugs to press vehicles of participants and harassed participants about papers.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, a chief of the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhist Church of Dong Thap province, a person who was directly harassed asserted: “When I reached Tan Phuoc commune, a group of traffic police and security checked my papers. I right away took my cell phone to take photos, but 3 to 4 policemen twisted my hands behind, then snatched my cell phone and removed photos in it. I am a 70 year old man but still be treated by them like that.”

36. Police harassed the family of young man Bach Huu Phuoc

On September 17, the investigating body of Ho Chi Minh city forced Bach Huu Phuoc to go to its office at 235 Nguyen Van Cu to get testimonies. At the same time, the police of Lam Dong province came to Phuoc’s house to “invite” Mr. Bach Y (the father of Phuoc) to go to the police office to work.

The content of the work session surrounded the question that for what reason, Phuoc went to Thailand in July 2015. Phuoc told that he did not attend any events related to politics and had not activities violating laws. Therefore, he denied signing the report. While he was working with the investigating body in Ho Chi Minh City, the police of Lam Dong province came to his family to give invitation paper to ask Mr. Bach Y go to the police office to work on issues related to social security on September 18. In September 2015, he was summoned by police two times. He said pressingly: “This is the police’s terrorist act to family, asking me to go to the police office again and again to put pressure on me and my son.”

37. The authorities of Dac Lac province denounced Huynh Thuc Vy

Recently, the government of Dak Lak province harassed Huynh Thuc Vy and her husband. On September 29, the local police invited her and her husband to come to the police office of Buon Ho town’ to work. Vy said she and her husband were very busy and had nothing to discuss with the local police so denied every invitations.

Two weeks before that, she and her husband were also invited to the Culture House of Thong Nhat ward in their resident area to attend the “Ceremony of Mobilizing Masses 2015” but in fact for them to denounce her and prevent people to contact with her and her husband, just as they did in Quang Nam province with the purpose of isolating both from friends and neighbors.

38. The head of Management Board in Duc Trong cried for help because of being harassed

Mr. Hua Phi, the head of management board in Duc Trong district, Lam Dong province, was appointed by the Vietnam Council of Inter-Religion to attend the Asia Pacific region conference on freedom of religion in Thailand. His passport was confiscated on September 29 when he carried on exit procedures.

After continuous 4 times being invited to work but not returned passport, Mr. Phi composed a letter to send some persons and organizations including the UN’s special reporter on freedom of religion, Mr. Heiner Bielefeltd, International Commission of Jurists, human rights and freedom of religion organizations, saying clearly that he was being treated as a criminal without knowing what law he had violated.

39. Pham Le Vuong Cac and Hoang Thanh were forced to leave rental house by police because their social activities

In the evening of September 29, a young man named Hoang Thanh was asked by the house owner, under the pressure of police, to return the rental house, and move right away on the next day 30 September, just because he participate in social activities.

Although Hoang Thanh and his brothers just moved to the new house in the morning of 29 September, furniture just had been arranged, but at the end of the same day’s afternoon, the house owner called him continuously and said that he wanted to get back the house urgently. After that, the house owner with a policeman in the resident area came to the house and requested he and his brothers to leave right away, regardless of the contract’s term that: if the lender terminates the contract unilaterally, he must inform the renter 15 days in advance.

This was the second time in less than one month, Hoang Thanh was asked to terminate house renting contract under the pressure of police, without any reasonable and clear reason. The two rental houses that he rented, both were at alley 79/40 of group 1, Yen Hoa ward, Cau Giay district.

Hoang Thanh actively participated in the movement of green tree protection in Ha Noi. He also known as the first person holding a banner with slogan “Students are not guinea pigs” standing in front of Ministry of Education and Training to oppose failed tests of this ministry.

In this time, blogger Pham Le Vuong Cac was also in the same situation. Due to his activities of writing and speaking up about social injustice, he faced troubles continuously when renting house for studying in Ha Noi.

40. The police of Vinh Long city arrested religious dignitaries

According to news from the head of management board Nguyen Bach Phung, Cao Dai religion, in the afternoon of September 29, monk Thich Khong Tanh, dignitaries Hua Phi and Bach Phung went to Vinh Long city to visit dignitary Nguyen Kim Lan, member of the Vietnam Council of Inter-Religion, who had just recovered from a heart surgery. The dignitaries informed the local authorities about their temporary resident.

But in the next morning, when people were having breakfast in the house of Nguyen Kim Lan, nearly 100 uniformed policemen and local civilians mobilized by the police came and surrounded the house and requested strangers to leave the region. They rushed and pulled the people, made Hua Phi be in hypertension and swoon.

41. Former prisoner Pham Ba Hai: Police harassed and forced him to return to Sai Gon

As Mr. Pham Ba Hai said, he intent that in the visit of human rights activists and former prison of conscience in the region of Mekong delta in 4 days from October 8, he would go to Dong Thap and An Giang provinces to visit and give present to Ms. Duong Thi Tron who had been released from prison on October 2.

In Dong Thap province, although a family of a former prisoner of conscience informed the local authorities on temporary resident at the police office of Binh Thanh commune, Lap Vo district, but the local authorities still carried out checking temporary resident to disturb and bully the family Mr. Hai was staying with.

Not being able to take Hai to the police office, the police left there but threaten that before 7AM of the next day (October 11), if Hai would not return to Sai Gon, they would continue searching the house.

This was the third time he had been expelled from his house after the incident in Nghe An province (October 2014) and Ha Noi city (July 2015)

42. The police of Binh Duong province harassed members of the Independent Journalists Association

On October 21, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, a member of the Independent Journalists Association received an invitation paper from the police of Binh Thuong province inviting him to come the police office on October 2 to work about his participation in the Independent Journalists Association”. This was the 2^nd time he had been invited related to his participation in the association and writing articles posted on the Vietnam Times.

In September 2014, the police came his workplace to summon him to the police station after he wrote article “Give up Socialism” posted on the Vietnam Times. After that, he was fired.

43. The house of Nguyen Lan Thang was splashed with red paint

Discussing with BBC on November 25, engineer Nguyen Lan Thang, an social network activist told that in consecutive days that week, he and some members of his family were attacked, watched at many different places including his own house and studying place of his little girl.

He said: “They were continuously defamed, disturbed at his house. Besides, one another strange force attacked us when we came to pick my child at her kindergarten. On 24 October, they use red paint to splash to the door of my house, so it looked terribly.”

44. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh asked to clarify illegal arrest and detainment

Blogger Mother Mushroom, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, sent a letter to the police of Khanh Hoa province to ask them to clarify the reason of illegal detainment.

On October 25, at 3 PM, when Ms. Quynh was on the way to the Cam Ranh airport to catch a flight to Sai Gon, she was blocked by about 20 policemen, and then taken to the police office of Khanh Hoa office. After that, 8 policemen together took her back to the police office of Phuoc Dong commune to detain from 3.30 PM to 9.30 PM. This was not the first time she had been detained illegally. From 2014 till now, this was 5^th time she had been blocked, arrested and detained temporarily.

45. Four human rights activists were banned from exit in the same day

Vietnam authorities banned four human rights activists from exit, Pham Thanh, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, Truong Van Dung and Le Sy Binh, in the same day of December 6, when they were doing exit procedures.

Two persons were banned from exit at Noi Bai airport – Pham Thanh and journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy. Border Guards at Moc Bai border gate also banned Mr. Truong Van Dung and Le Sy Binh from exit in the same day. In the reports of exit ban of all people, the reason were to protect national security and social order and safety (as stipulated in Clause 6 Article 21, Decree 136 of the government issued August 17, 2007 on exit, entry of Vietnamese citizens.

46. Truong Quoc Phong – Viet Intelligence group (Dan Tri Viet) was detained for 7 hours at airport

Mr. Truong Quoc Phong was kept in custody by police for questioning after flying from Rangoon, Myanmar to Tan Son Nhat airport on December 10. Phong may be the first person landing among 7 people delegation going there to exchange and learn experience about the progress of democratization in Myanmar to apply for civil society movement in Vietnam.

47. Sai Gon: Police arrested Nguyen Phuong Uyen because of “Dream of Thuy”

The police of district 1, Sai Gon suddenly arrested Nguyen Phuong Uyen, 22 years old, former prison of conscience when she was sitting drinking coffee with her friends in the morning of December 13. The story was thought to be related to the book “Dram of Thuy” that Uyen was presenting to people.

Nguyen Phuong Uyen is the person who wrote introductory for the book “Dream of Thuy”. The book was published on Amazon before 2 December 2015. The coffee owner, poet Chieu Anh Nguyen was also invited to the police office of Da Kao ward to work and detained there. Nguyen Phuong Uyen was thought to be detained in the police office of Cau Kho ward, district 1, Sai Gon. 30 activists then came to the police office of Cau Kho ward to ask the police to release her.

2.2    Violent cases in 2015

1. Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was beaten again in district 12 in the first day of 2015 

Members of Mennonite Church gathered at the house of pastor Nguyen Hong Quang to pray and have a party celebrating the first day of the year. But they were blocked to attend, even arrested and taken to the police office and beaten there by police.

Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, manager of the church and also a victim, told RFA about the incident: “When they knew about the program on 31 December and 1 January, the police of the province, districts brought police cars to block the whole area for people to be unable to go in and out. They also cut off electricity and water. They did not allow the civilians to sell water and food or supply water for us. Even our children had trouble to go in and out. They also beaten me two or three blows, took my cell phone. Within two days, a lot of police arrived. Pastors Than Van Truong, Pham Ngoc Thach and Nguyen Manh Hung were taken to a police office of a commune.

2. Land petitioner Lu Thi Thu Van detained and brutally beaten by Saigon police.

In the morning of January 1, a group of land petitioners from Tien Giang and Saigon were holding banners demanding the communist government return farmlands and other  properties which have been in grievence for decades.  Local authorities deployed a large number of police officers to violently disperse the land petitioners.  The police pulled these petitioners by their hair, their arms, and their legs, shoving them into vans and took them to Ben Nghe, Cau Kho, and Nguyen Thai Binh ward in District 1.  In the police stations, police officers beat the detainees during interrogation. Lu Thi Thu Van was badly bleed while Truong Thi Quan, Nguyen Kim Thuy, and Bui Thi Thanh were stripped by female police to check their private parts. Police violently robbed a cell phone from Hoac Qui Huong.

3. Pastor Nguyen Hong Quan was beaten again, severely injured.

On January 18, Mennonite pastor Nguyen Hong Quan was assaulted and heavily injured. He was beaten by thugs while trying to protect pastor Huynh Thuc Khai, who was attacked by a group of the same thugs after leaving Quan’s private residence.  Pastor Nguyen Hong Quan was trying to to stop, and he became a target.  He was suffered more severe injury than Pastor Huynh Thuc Khai.

4. 12 Activists denounced assault when visited Mr. Tran Anh Kim.

A group of 12 activists from Hanoi visited former prisoner of conscience Tran Anh Kim in Thai Binh on January 21. When they left his house, uniform police and plainclothes agents detained them and beat some of them, including Nguyen Thi Kim Chi above 70, and physican expert Nguyen Thanh Giang above 80.

Doctor Nguyen Thanh Giang described the incident to VOA Vietnamese.” We were leaving after visiting Mr. Tran Anh Kim.  Police in civilian clothes and in uniform started fighting and beating us brutally.  They had about 40 to 50 surrounding us and let police disguised as civilians beating us severely.  Those of us who were severely injured included Nguyen Huu Vinh, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, Truong Van Dung, and Tran Thi Nga.  Old people like elite artist Nguyen Thi Kim Chi was shoved, pushed to fall and widly beaten that broke my glasses.  This incident is unlawfull and unethical.  Not just on the outside street, but in the the station the police kept beating us cruelly.  A journalist namely Tuan of Vietnam News Agency walked by and saw the incident and later he was also beaten by police who confiscated his recorder.”

5. Secret agents block and assault Mr. Huynh Cong Thuan.

For two consecutive days on January 25-26, Mr.Huỳnh Công Thuận from Phu Nhuan district, HCM City was barred from going out.  Two plainclothes agents stood, threatened and blocked his front door.  Every time Mr. Huynh Cong Thuan tried to leave with his motor bike, the two men stopped him.  On January 26, they assaulted him when he sreamed for help.  The video clearly showed the rampage of the secret service agents cooperate with and backed by the local government.

6. Persecustion of ethnic minority who follow Duong Van Minh sect.

At 5 AM of February 6, authorities in Bao Lam district, Cao Bang province sent 20 police officers, 10 army officers, and over 200 plainclothes agents to attack followers of Duong Van Minh sect in Khuoi Vin village, Ly Bon commune and burned their funeral home.  Mr. Hoàng Văn Mù was beaten by six police agents and suffered stomach puncture while tried to extinguish the fire.

7. Land petitioners from Bac Giang were beaten on February 17

Land petitioners Nguyen Thi Luyen, Pham Thi Nhuong, and Mrs Suot from Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province went to the private residence of the chairman of the municipal People’s Committee to peacefully discuss their cases regarding their families lands.  The chairman refused to meet them and called the police who attacked and detained the petitioners to the police station in Hoang Van Thu ward.

At 3 PM, authorities of the localities where they reside came to pick them up.  The land petitioners were kicked out of the police station.  Mrs Suot and Mrs Luyen were driving their motor bike and were beaten by four men wearing rain coat and mask.  The four men used cane and hit their bodies, arms, legs, and chests excessively.  Mrs Suot was severely injured, and they screamed and cried so the police took them to the Bac Giang hospital and left.  Mrs Nhuong was attacked by tens of policemen, militia and thugs when she was walking out of the police station alone.  She was slapped in the face which caused her mouth to bleed.  She was scared, she ran and asked for help and saw a police car.  The police arrested her again and took her to Hoang Van Thu ward where she was assaulted. She ran into a house near the police station but militia and thugs followed her, detaining her and continued to beat her.

8. Facebooker Hoai Thu Nguyen was slapped in the face and her stuff with human rights logo was confiscated.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, owner of Facebook account named Hoai Thu Nguyen said on February 26, communal police and plainclothes agents searched her rent room, taking away 25 shirts, 7 hats, 9 key chains, 100 money envelopes with human rights logos.  Before this incident, police also confiscated her 20 watches with human rights logo.  She was taken to Vinh police for interrogation in which police officers were very rude, disrespect, and using foul language.  One of them slapped her and said she received money from foreign countries.  She was released at 1 AM of the next day.

9. Human rights activist Tran Thi Nga was kidnapped and beaten.

In the morning of March 30, tens of security guards and police surrounded MsTrần Thị Nga’s house in Phu Ly city.  Ms. Nga, an executive board member of Vietnamese Women for Human Rights, left her house to head to Hanoi where she was invited to attend a meeting between Swedish and German ambassadors and independent civil societies at the German Embassy. Plainclothes agents followed her and they arrested her on afternoon, beating her before releasing her in late afternoon of the same day.

10. Blogger Trinh Anh Tuan (aka Gio Lang Thang) was beaten on April 22.

On April 22, when he was on his way to buy foodstuff for his daughter, Mr. Trinh Anh Tuấn was beaten by plainclothes agents. The assault was taken on Co Ly road in Long Bien district, Hanoi. He suffered numerous injuries on his head, hand, and body.

“In the morning of April 22, I was on my way to buy stuff for my daughter.  I just left my house I saw 3 guys followed me.  I didn’t pay attention to them beacuse I didn’t want to interfere with them.  However when I was about 1km away from my house, on Co Ly road in Long Bien district, three guys jumped in and started beating me.  They kicked so I felt to the ground and they hit me in the head with bricks.  I suffered wounds on my head, hand, and body.”

11. Activist-teacher To Oanh beaten again.

On April 24, activist-teacher To Oanh went to Xuan Quan to share sympathy with local farmers whose land was grabbed by the local government three years ago.  As he got close to Xuan Quan, he was attacked by a fat guy. The man used his motor bike to hit Oanh’s motor bike and ran off.  Oanh fell on the ground with many injuries in his body. Local residents said the attacker is plainclothe agent.

12. About 20 environmentalists detained, beaten in Hanoi.

On April 26, hundreds of people gathered in Hanoi’s center to protest the city’s plan to chop down old trees. The local authorities sent police to violently suppress the demonstration. Police detained around 20 activists, and many of them were beaten in custody.

The demonstrators, many female activists with the traditional Vietnamese long dress, marched around Hoan Kiem Lake under the watch of police.  About 10 o’clock when they were in front of Thuy Ta restaurant, the police and security violently dispersed, detaining around 20 protestors, including women and put them into a bus.

13. Mennonite Church in Binh Duong was attacked again by thugs.

On May 25, about 25 thugs broke into the childrend classroom called The Light of Mennonite Baptist Church in My Phuoc 1, Ben Cat, Binh Duong.  They beat and causes serious injuries to Pastor Nguyen Hong Quan, Mr. Nguyen Quan Trieu, Y Thieu- Pastor Nguyen Hong Quan son, and Pastor Le Quang Du.  Those thugs used iron bars, bricks to beat the church members continuousely.  Pastor Le Quan Duy suffered severed wounds in his head and body.  After the incident Pastor Le Quan Duy was arrested and taken to the police station, the police had to take him to the emergency room because of severed head pain.

14. Blogger Nguyen Chi Tuyen was beaten by thugs.

Well-known activist Nguyen Chi Tuyen from Hanoi was beaten on May 15 while riding his bicycle near his house in Gia Lam district. The attackers used sticks to beat him on his head and face.

Tuyen, who is famous for his participation in anti-China protests, riding for environment, and commemoration of fallen soldiers killed by China in 1979, told RFA: “In the morning of May 15, I took my son to his school at 7 AM. The school is about three kilomets from my house. When I returned near my house, I was stopped by a group of thugs who beat me brutally. They used some objects to assault me at my body, face and head.”

15. Saigon-based activist Dinh Quan Tuyen was assaulted by thugs.

In early morning of May 19, activist Đinh Quang Tuyến from Saigon was assaulted by a group of thugs when he was on his way to jogging in his area. He told RFA: “I just left my house then I saw lieutenant colonel Huy from the local police sitting at a corner of the coffee shop.  I was cautious, instead of get on my bicycle I walked to the school about 100 meters away.  When I got on my bicycle and rode to the intersection.  I made a turn at the intersection, the street was empty so I stopped.  My instinct told me that some thing is not normal, so I thought about going home.  As I turned my bicycle around, there were two men wearing masks asking me”Hey, you want to go again”.  They started punching me in my face.  My face was bleeding and the blood wetted all over my shirt.

16. Police officers, thugs assault Blogger Pham Thanh Nghien.

On June 2, some members of the Vietnam Bloggers Network visited Blogger Phạm Thanh Nghiên in Hai Phong.  When they arrived at the front door they were blocked by the police and thugs.  Nghien saw her friends were blocked, so she went out to greet them.  One of the police wore a red shirt pulled Nghien hair anh hit her on the head and face.  Police also assaulted Nghien’s sister-in-law and twi sisters who came to protect her. Mrs. Pham Thanh Loan was pushed and fell to the ground. The police attack caused a swollen right cheek of her.

17. Activists, relatives of prisoner of conscience Trinh Ba Phuong were beaten by thugs.

On June 25, a group of activists and land petitioners from Duong Noi and relatives went to Prison No. 6  in Thanh Chuong, Nghe An to pick up prisoner of conscience Trinh Ba Khiem who was released on the same day. The group was assaulted by numerous thugs who also demolished their cameras and cell phones. The victims included Trương Văn Dũng, Nguyễn Tường Thụy, Mai Thanh, Trinh Bá Tư and Trịnh Bá Phương.  Many women in the group were also badly beaten.

18. Group of Cao Dai followers in An Hoa were attacked and assaulted again.

On July 15, followers of independent Cao Dai Buddhist sect were attacked by people from the registered Cao Dai Buddhist sect when they were conducting worship at the private residence of Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Kim Thoa in An Quoi, An Hoa, Trang Bang district, Tay Ninh province.

Ms. Thoa said her husband and child were also beaten by the perpetrators. She reported the incident to the communal and district police but they did not investigate the case.

19. Bloggers in Nha Trang were beaten on International Hunger Strike Day for Prisoner of Conscience on July 26.

On July 26, activists in Nha Trang held a hunger strike on public place to support prisoners of conscience. However, local authorities sent police officers, plainclothes and militia to attack them. Police brutally beat Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Truong Hong Anh and others.

Nha Trang was the most suppressed place of all the Hunger Strike campaigns from south to north.  From the city independent journalist Vo Van Tao said “Since this morning we watched perhaps only Nha Trang suffered the most suppression and was brutally terrorized the most.  There were few particicpating bloggers, but the police were very brutal.  This morning, Mr. Tam, Ms. Ha, Mother Mushroom, and some other people were sitting like meditating at the beach for a while.  A group of thugs started slapping the women in the face.  Ms. Truong Hong Anh was slapped so hard that she felt dizzy.  Mother Mushroom was slapped hard and her nose was bleeded heavily.  The women were pulled into the bus, while on the bus the thugs tore off their bluses.  The male activists Tam and Thien were punched and kicked in the chest and belly by thugs.  Tam was fast so he ran off and escaped the arrest.  Blogger Hai arrived at the scene, he was stopped by secret police and traffic police.  The police arrested Hai and took him to an undisclosed location.”

20. Blogger Nguyen Van Thanh attacked by thugs.

On August 4, blogger Nguyễn Văn Thạnh was assaulted by a group of thugs who demaned him to leave Danang.

Thanh said at about 5 PM, he was attacked by five thugs near the Tien Son Bridge. They removed him out of the bike and started punching and kicking him continuously.  They also threatened him by asking “Who are you? Get out of Danang or we will kill you.” After the incident, activist Thanh went to the hospital by himself to receive medical treatments.

21. Land petitioner beaten by bodyguards at government building

On August 12, a group of bodyguards of the government office for denunciation in Ngo Thi Nham Street in Ha Dong district attacked land petitioner Nguyễn Thị Hiền from Bac Giang. A man named Hoa kicked her in her bell and the attack was so hard that she suffered from severe injuries. Hien was beaten while hanging banner accused Bac Giang government officals of land corruption.

22. Former prisoner of conscience Truong Minh Tam beaten, robbed by police

On August 26, human rights activist Mr Trương Minh Tam went to Prison No. 5 in Thanh Hoa province to get personal documents and other properties that were still held by the prison after he was released.  On his return, he was attacked by two men who took his phone, clothes, ipad, devices and threw them into the sewage.

As the result of the attack, Tam suffered from many serious injuries while his items such as cell phones and Ipad were broken.

23. Thugs demolished provate residence of charity activist

On August 25, thugs attacked the private residence of Mai Xuan Dung (Mai Dũng) and his daughter Mai Phuong Thao, members of a charity group called Support for Land Petitioners. However, the damage was insignificant and the thugs withdrew when other acitivists and land petitioners came to support the two activists.

24. The security slapped Mrs Duong Thi Tan’s daughter in the face.

During the week when the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) visited Saigon and rumor of protest against the education system around Turtle Lake, so the security force started watching activists at their houses like usual.  However at 5 o’clock on 26/8/2015 when Mrs. Duong Thi Tan drove her daughter Ms. Nguyễn Hoàng Yến from work to their home at 57 Pham Ngoc Thach, they were followed by two security guards, these two security guards approached their motor bike and slapped Ms Yen twice.  The slaps were so hard its caused her face scratched and swollen.  Ms Yen wore braces so her gum was scratched as well.

25. Activists assaulted while welcoming Tran Minh Nhat

On August 28, a group of activists planned to go to a prison to pick up prisoner of conscience Tran Minh Nhat on the day of his release. However, the group was stopped and beaten by plainclothes agents who also broke their vehicles. Victims of the assault were Lê Đình Lượng, TNLT Chu Mạnh Sơn, Trương Minh Tam, thầy Phạm Minh Hoàng, Trần Thúy Nga and other young activists. Luong suffered the most while his Ipad was broken by thugs.

26. Religious activist detained, beaten after meeting with USCIRF representatives

Ma Văn Pá, a follower of Duong Van Minh sect in Cao Bang province, was kidnapped by polices who tortured in in consecutive two days on August 30-31 after he met with the delegation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in Hanoi on August 29. The kidnappers took him to the Ha Giang province’s police department where he was interrogated by police officers from the Ministry of Public Security about his meeting with foreigners.

27. Plainclothes agents attack activists who were in Noi Bai International Airport to welcome prominent dissident Nguyen Quang A on September 1.

The victims included bloggers La Viet Dung, Trinh Anh Tuan, Luu Van Minh and Dang Bich Phuong who came to the airport to demand for release of Mr. A, a prominent dissident detained by Hanoi police after returning from abroad.

The perpetrators were police officers, plainclothes agents and thugs who violently took banners of the activists and later attacked them.

28. Blogger Pham Doan Trang was beaten.

On September 23, Đoan Trang was beaten by police when she and other activists gathered in front of the police headquarters in Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi to demand for the release of the members of Luong Tam TV.

29. Police in Ba Ria-Vung Tau demolish Dat Quang Pagoda and beat its monks:

On October 6, authorities in Ba Ria-Vung Tau deployed a large number of police officers and militia to evict Dat Quang Pagoda’s monks and used heavy machineries to destroy the facility. They used tear gas to attack the monks and followers and invade the pagoda. Police detained Nguyen Thanh Cong, a follower, and tortured him at a local communal building until he fell unconscious. The medical check-up showed that he had brain injury.

Before acted, police blocked all the ways leading to the pagoda and banned filming and picturing.

30. Plainclothes agents attack activists who visit the family of Do Dang Du:

On October 16, plainclothes agents in Chuong My district, Hanoi attacked a group of activists when they visited the family of Do Dang Du, who was killed in custody several days earlier.

Among victims were Trương Dũng, Trương Thị Quý and Trinh Ba Phuong.

Phuong said shortly after the activists arrived, police came and made some troubles for the family. When the activists left the house, they were closely surveyed by local authorities. Later, a group of over ten thugs attacked us, causing serious injuries to us, especially Mr. Dung and Ms. Quy.

31. Pro-government thugs harass the family of blogger Nguyen Lan Thang:

At 6 PM of October 21, over 30 pro-government thugs led by Tran Nhat Quang gathered in front of the blogger’s private residence in Hanoi. They insuled Nguyễn Lân Thắng’s family, breaking his house’s door and threatening to attack the family’s members.

When Nguyen The Trung, a friend of Thang came to support his family, five or six thugs attacked him, causing severe injuries to Trung.

32. Police officer assaulted family of death-sentenced Le Van Manh:

On October 25, the police head of Trang Tien ward, Hoan Kiem district, attacked Manh’s younger brother and detained his mother for hours when they were protesting Manh’s injustice conviction near the Ly Thai To monument in the ward.

33. Plainclothes agents assault blogger Gio Lang Thang:

At 4 PM of October 30, blogger Trịnh Anh Tuấn (aka Gio Lang Thang) planned to go out but he was blocked by a group of ten men. Later, the men attacked the activist. Tuan recognized a policeman named Tuan from the Hanoi’s police department among the attackers.

34. Plainclothes agents and thugs attack activists during the 4^th anniversary of No-U football club.

On October 30, nearly 100 activists gathered at a restaurant in Dong Da district, Hanoi to mark the 4^th anniversary of the No-U football club (No-U FC Hà Nội). Their party was disturbed by local police who sent thugs to attack the celebrities.

Firstly, police cut off electricity of the restaurant, demanding the owner and staff to leave the facility and later sending many thugs to assault the activists. Outside, police wrongly announced that the incident was caused by two groups which have dispute over money.

No-U means “Say No” to China’s illegal claim of nearly the entire East Sea (South China Sea).

35. Authorities in Nghe An continuously harass local political dissident Tran Duc Thach.

On October 15, former prisoner of conscience Trần Đức Thạch was beaten by plainclothes agents who also robbed his cell phones and some other items as well as broke his motorbike when he went to Dien Loc commune, Dien Chau district.

Local authorities also sent thugs to throw bricks and stones at his private residence on two nights of October and three times in November. Due to the attack, the roof of his house was broken.  His wife reported the terrors to the local authorities who sent some officials to come to the scene. However, they said they would settle the case if the victim family can catch attackers.

36. Blogger Tran Bang was beaten while attending anti-China protest:

On November 5, Trần Bang joined other activists to go to the center of Saigon to protest the ongoing visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He was brutally beaten by police officers who violently suppressed peaceful demonstrators.

Bang, who is veteran of the war against Chinese invaders in 1979, said plainclothes agents and militia who used sticks to beat him at his head and nape. Due to the attack, Bang fell in unconscious until 3PM of the same day. The medical test showed that he suffered from brain injury.

37. Police in Lam Ha district, Lam Dong province, beat former prisoners of conscience Tran Minh Nhat and Chu Manh Son on November 8.

Police officers in Lam Ha district detained the two former prisoners of conscience Trần Minh Nhật and Chu Mạnh Sơn and robbed their belongings.

Mr. Nhat said he was beaten by two police officers named Minh and Long. Nhat suffered great pain and he stucked his head to a wall to protest.

Meanwhile, Son was also assaulted by other policemen. Dinh Huy Thai, police chief of the district, told him “You, the priests of the Redemptory Church and those guys like you, belong to a dangerous organization. I couldn’t guarantee safety for you once you go out of the police station.”

38. Street musician Ta Tri Hai was attacked on the late evening of November 11 by thug who also broke his instruments.

On 9PM of November 10, thugs attacked street musician Tạ Trí Hải who often attends peaceful anti-China protests and plays pro-democracy and human rights songs.

When he played for visitors in the center of the city, a thug came and caused troubles for him. Accusing the street artist of playing songs which defame late President Ho Chi Minh, the thug threatened to attack Hai. When the musician called on others to protect him, the thug demolished his violon and threw other musician instruments into a lake. The thug tried to destroy Hai’s bicycle but other people halted him from doing so.

Mr. Hai has been harassed by police and plainclothes agents since 2011 when he actively attended peaceful anti-China protests in Hanoi and Saigon.

39. Two members of Viet Labor detained, beaten:

On the morning of November 22, Do Thi Minh Hanh and Truong Minh Duc from Viet Labor were detained and beaten by police when they were providing legal assistance for workers of Yupoong in Dong Nai province to help them seek their justice. Police brought the two labor activists to remote area and beat them before releasing. Due to the attacks, both Hanh and Duc suffered from serious injuries.

40. Teacher Nguyen Nang Tinh beaten:

On November 23, the outspoken teacher Nguyễn Năng Tĩnh who often voices for justice, was kidnapped when he was on his way to his school. The kidnappers brought him to Ben Thuy bridge between Ha Tinh and Nghe An province to beat him. They robbed his cell phone, wallet and other things before leaving.

41. Prominent human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and three other activists beaten after attending human rights training:

On December 6, after attending a human rights training in Nghe An, Mr. Nguyen Van Dai and Ly Quang Son, Vu Van Minh and Vu Van Thang returned to Hanoi but they were chased and later plainclothes agents stopped their taxi on Dien Chau district. They attacked the activists and a taxi driver with wooden bars. Three activists escaped while Dai was kidnapped by the perpetrators who took him to their car and drove to Cua Lo beach, 20 km away from the scene. During the journey, they beat him brutally, robbed him and took of all his clothes and later released him at a remote area during winter night.

Mr. Dai was rescued by local residents who assisted him to go back to Hanoi where he resides.

42. Blogger Truong Van Dung was attacked with acid.

On December 21, blogger Trương Văn Dũng went to Back Khoa ward police to demand for return of his cell phones and camera the police confiscated from him on the day of the arrest of prominent lawyer Nguyen Van Dai on December 16. Police refused to return his items and while waiting in front of the police station together with other activists, Dung was attacked with acid by thugs. Due to the attack, Dung suffered from severe injuries on his head.

43. Hoang Binh, a member of Viet Labor, was arrested and beaten:

On December 25, Hoàng Bình was detained and beaten by police in Hoa Thanh ward, Tan Phu district, Saigon on when he spread leaflets about the speech of then Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on the workers’ right of joining independent labor unions. Plainclothes agents also assaulted other activists including Tran Bang, Ho Thi Kim Ninh, Pham Tuan Kiet and Huynh Thanh Phat when they came to demand for Binh’s release.

44. Catholic priest Dang Huu Nam was beaten by thugs on December 31.

Father Đặng Hữu Nam said he was attacked by about ten thugs near the communal building of An Hoa commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province. The assault was under the witness of local police who did nothing to intervene.

2.3    Imprisonment in 2015: 9 cases

 Nguyen Viet Dung was arrested on April 12 and sentenced to 12 months in prison on charge of causing public disorder under Article 245 of the Penal Code.

Land petitioner Vu Thi Hai was arrested on June 9 and sentenced to 15 months in prison on charge of causing public disorder under Article 245 of the Penal Code.

Political dissident Dinh Tat Thang was arrested on August 13 and sentenced to seven months in prison on charge of abusing democratic freedom under Article 258 of the Penal Code.

Tran Anh Kim and Le Thanh Tung were arrested on September 21 and December 14, respectively on allegation of attempting to overthrow the government under Article 79 of the Penal Code. Kim was sentenced to 13 years in prison and five years under house arrest while Tung was given 12 years in jail and four years under house arrest.

Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy was arrested on November 27 and Nguyen Huu Thien An was detained on August 28 on allegation of anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code. Last year, they were sentenced to three and two year in jail, respectively.

Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thu Ha were arrested on December 16 on charge of anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

3.        HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN 2016

3.1    Harassment in 2016

1. Duong Noi Ward radio station smears Can Thi Theu

In the denunciation application to the Ministry of Public Security, Ms. Cấn Thị Thêu exposes the slanderous content of her image on the radio on Phuong Noi Ward. The content is written as follow: “Around 1:40 PM on January 4, Phuong Noi Ward Radio Station broadcasted a news with the content:

–           Slander me with stating I took an amount of VND25 millions of petitioners.

–           News content: there were threatening words such as ‘it’s time for Ms. Theu, Phuong, Tu and a few other citizens of Phuong Noi Ward to reveal their [scam]… Don’t wait until you’re trialed to learn your big lesson, it will leave a big impact on your descendants’. For a long period of time, Phuong Noi Ward continuously use their radio broadcaster combined with a annoyance tactic to propagate accusations towards me and terrorize my family members. They accused my two sons, Trinh Ba Phuong and Trinh Ba Tu, of accepting more than VND200 millions to support themselves, and afterward split the money for petitioners to provoke the plaintiffs, and accused my two sons of accepting numerous undisclosed amount of money solely for personal spending.”

2. Authorities disrupts the commemoration of Hoang Sa fallen soldiers

On the morning of January 17th, more than 20 democracy-human rights activists went from Saigon to Vung Tau to commemorate 74 Republic of Vietnam soldiers who had died in the Hoang Sa Battle on January 19, 1974. Local authorities have mobilized public securities, police, transportation public securities, mobile public securities, and undercover public security agents to block the road and to check papers, take photos, and film videos. When everyone prepares the commemoration for the Republic of Vietnam soldiers, a group of strangers came to rob the commemorative wreath.

3. Nguyen Anh Tuan was detained at Da Nang Airport after three years living abroad

Nguyễn Anh Tuấn landed in Da Nang City from Siem Reap, Combodia at 10:30PM on the night of January 31, however, his father informed that Mr. Tuan had been detained at the airport. On the morning of February 1, he was taken to the police station f Danang City.

In August 2013, Mr. Tuan along with other members of Viet Nam Blogger Web delivered Speech/ Statement 258 to representatives of several international human rights organizations in Thailand, including the Office of UNHCR. In February 2014, Mr. Tuan along with a group of Vietnamese attended Vietnam’s Universal Period Review of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.  In September 2015, Nguyen Anh Tuan went to Australia to intern for Australian Representative Chris Hayes for three months.

4. Religious activities not following state agenda are harassed once again

That was the situation of Mr. Lê Công Cầu in Hue. Mr. Le Con Cau, the Secretary General of United Tao Buddhists of Vietnam Institute (GHPGVNTN), was deported out of his residency and the local region by Hue City public securities during the time of Lunar New Year in 2016.

Mr. Cau informed about: the deportation incident out of his home in 154 Phan Boi Chau Street as well as Truong An Ward. This was an order from a higher authority because of his involvement with GHPGVNTN. Provincial public securities also met with Monk Minh Quang, Abbot of Long Quang Pagoda, to request Monk Minh Quang to prohibit Mr. Cau from residing at the pagoda.

5. Public securities of Lam Dong agitated ethnic people, blocking vehicles of visitors of Tran Minh Nhat 

Mr. Trần Minh Nhật said on March 25, a group of 30 human rights activists came from Saigon to visit him.  When his friends got off of their vehicles, Lam Ha public securities mobilized people to disrupt and block people from entering Mr. Nhat’s home. Approximately 30 minutes after, they fluttered/agitated people of ethnic minorities including women, children, and some youth to come and scream in front of Mr. Nhat’s home.  They even throw rocks into his yard and threaten to kill the group of activists.

6. The State “rules” with Shrimp Sauce

On March 28, 2016, the event for voter’s opinions in urban groups for independent candidate of parliament for Mr. Hoàng Văn Dũng occurred at the Assembly Hall of Secondary Independent School, 94 Thich Quang Duc Street, Ward 5, Phu Nhuan District.

Many people supported Mr. Hoang Dung came to attend but the public securities did not permit them to enter with the reason that they do not have “invitation letters”. These supporters had to stand outside instead, around 7:30PM, where were “strangers” who came to throw shrimp sauce at Mr. Hoang’s supporters. Clearly, this is considered one of the extremely infamous actions of the authorities.

7. Representative of XHDS Independence Unit was detained at Noi Bai Airport

Around 4:30 PM on April 4th, immigration officers detained Mr. Mai Văn Tám, a member of Brothers Democratic Society, at Noi Bai Airport when he got back to Ha Noi from Thailand. Mr. Mai Van tam had come to Thailand to attend the Civil Society Forum in ASEAN Region Conference in Bangkok, TL on March 31. Mr. Mai Van Tam said that they had confiscated this phone, passport, and released him at a remote area far from the airport.

8. The 3rd anniversary of Brothers Democratic Society was destroyed

On the morning of April 24, Ha Noi City authorities mobilized public security force to block and detain a few members of Brothers Democratic Society when they prepared to celebrate the organization’s third anniversary at a restaurant on 68 Hoang Cau Street, Dong Da County, Ha Noi City.

Around 12 noon, Ha Noi City authorities ordered around 30 public securities, undercover public security agents, and policemen to set up arrests of a few Brothers Democratic Society members, including: Lý Quang Sơn, Phạm Minh Vũ, Đỗ Gia Long, Tuấn Đỗ, Trương Dũng, etc…rior to that, other members of the organizations were also strictly monitored by public securities and prevented from leaving.

9. Author/poet of “Isn’t Our Country So Strange, Brother?” was intimidated by the authorities

The poem “Isn’t Our Country So Strange, Brother?” was written by Ms. Trần Thị Thanh Lam Tran Thi Thanh Lam, a literature teacher at a specialized school of Ha Tinh Province. The author of the poem was just coerced/pressured by public securities to take down the poem from Facebook.

Only after three hours after the poem was published on Facebook around 8 PM on April 25, it received 2,000 shares and thousands of comments. After confirming the poem was written by Ms. Lam, the Department of Education of Ha Tinh Province forced Ms. Lam take down her work and public securities of Ha Tinh Province had summoned her in for questioning as well.

10. Lau Nhat Phong received administrative penalty for sit-down strike/resistant sit-down for the environment

On the night of May 4, a civilian named Lầu Nhật Phong was summoned to the public security station of Ben Nghe Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, for doing an environmental sit-down strike at the walking street of Nguyen Hue, Ward 1. This individual was later fined for “not having his identification”.

Phong’s banner writes: “I request Vietnam authorities to stop groundless communication, unscientifically telling people to swim and consume sea fish when they haven’t fully conduct an investigation with clarity, credibility, and appropriate solutions to the dead fish crisis in Vung Ang”.

11. Paint splashed on the gate of Nguyen Lan Thang’s home again

Bandits splashed paint on Nguyễn Lân Thắng’s home once again on the night of May 8. On Facebook, he wrote, “If you want then arrest me, but this act is very coward…”

12. Nguyen Van Thanh was attacked with shrimp sauce

On June 12, a group of undercover public security agents came to pour shrimp sauce on activist Nguyen Van Thach who was sitting at a café on Bach Dang Street, Da Nang.

13. Believers of Pure Hoa Hao Buddhism (PGHHTT) was assaulted, shrimp sauce and rocks thrown into his home

On June 3, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Tân, communication chief of PGHHTT Chapter of small town Binh Minh, had shrimp sauce thrown at him. Mr. Nguyen Van Hau, vice chairman of PGHHTT Charity Society of Vinh Long Province revealed that around midnight of yesterday, his house had rocks constantly thrown at. Mr. Hau said he saw the communal public securities driving a public security agent of Binh Minh commune passing by and staring at his house, when they sighted Mr. Hau, they left.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, Head of PGHHTT Society and Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Head of Dong Thap Province was physically threatened by bandits at Cho Moi Market, An Giang Province around 6 PM on June 2.

14. Street musician Ta Tri Hai was arrested/held in custody at the Social Protection Center

On the night of June 3, elder Tạ Trí Hải, a street musician, was playing [musical instrument] at Guom Lake around 1AM was taken by a group of people into a car to hold him in custody at the Social Protection Center 1 in Dong Dau hamlet, Duct u commune, Dong Anh district. He was taken out of the center a few days after with the help of his friends.

Musician Ta Tri Hai is a well-known individual in the Ho Chi Minh and Ha Noi civil society activities. In the past years, he regularly attended and played the violin at protests against Communist Chinese, land petitioners’ protests, and environmental protests.

15. Thien An Monastery denounced the authorities of insulting the Holy Cross

On June 24, Thien An Monastery of Hue City denounced illegal land occupation according to Vietnam State laws, as well as religious symbol that had been demolished and trampled.

In the recent past, functional force continued to enter the monastery’s lands and stop the monks from building a pathway to the orange garden of Dan Vien Monastery (most recent date was June 26).

Thien An Monastery was built in 1935 their land ownership record of 107 hectare of the monastery’s land was certified in 1940.  However, after 1975, similar to other religious establishments, some of Thien An monastery’s building works were borrowed like that of Thanh Mau School or [stop??] like Ho Thuy Tien area… As for Thuy Tien Tourist Area, the authority had ordered a retrieval of 49 hectare of remote forest  lands, however they did not retrieve the forest land, but instead the land of Thien An Monastery.

16. Lawyer Le Quoc Quan and freelance journalist JB Nguyen Huu Vinh were stopped from attending a party hosted by American Embassy for Independence Day [July 4]

On July 1, undercover public security force had stopped lawyer Le Quoc Lan and JB Nguyen Huu Vinh when they were heading out to the American Embassy in ha Noi to attend the Independence Day Party even though their were invited.

When lawyer Quan opposed and request the public security force to respect the law and rights of human, including the freedom of mobility, these public securities declared they are bandits and will physically assault the lawyer if he persists on going. Journalist JB Nguyen Huu Vinh, a member of Independence Press Society also revealed that there were many undercover public securities monitoring nearby his home when he planned to go to the Embassy.  Many other social activists also revealed that were watched by public securities in the recent few days. Doctor Nguyen Dan Que revealed he had been strictly monitored in around this time in Saigon.

17. Wife of lawyer Nguyen Van Dai detained in Noi Bai Airport after her campaign trip overseas

Human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai’s spouse, Mrs. Vũ Minh Khánh, was immediately detained for an interrogation about her four-months-long trip by public securities when she arrived at Noi Bai Airport on July 7 from Bangkok.

Mrs. Khanh revealed she was interrogated by 5-6 difference airport security guards for approximately 10 hours long, however, she refused to answer all of their questions.

18. Nguyen Van Dien kidnapped by Ha Noi Public securities, forced to return to his home in Yen Bai

On the morning of Sunday July 31, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Điển (aka Điển Ái Quốc) and a group of around ten other people cycled around Ha Noi City Center. All of the members wore a shirt uniform with the map of Vietnam and the phrase: “Hoang Sa – Truong Sa belongs to Vietnam”. Around 9:45AM, when the group got to Hang Khay, they realized Mr. Dien was missing. People in the group tried to contact him via cell phone but they couldn’t.  The next day in his hometown of Yen Bai, Mr. Dien revealed undercover public security agents had kidnapped him. Public securities took him back to Yen Bai – where he normally resides, and released him at 1AM on August 1.

19. Le Cong Dinh and Pham Ngoc Thach prohibited from leaving Vietnam

A conference for civil society of ASEAN nations were to be help in the Republic of East Timor from August 1-6.

Pastor Phạm Ngọc Thạch and lawyer Lê Công Định were among the two who were invited to the conference.

On July 31, Paster Pham Ngoc Thanh and Mr. Dinh Kim Phuc started their trip to East Timor and were stopped by public securities at the airport. Their passport were confiscated to prevent their departure and they were detained from 8PM to 1:30 AM of the next day; Lawyer Le Cong Dinh twas supposed to depart with Jetstar Asia flight at 9:35 PM on August 1 with a stop in Chinga (Singapore) to East Timor, and was stopped. A few Tan Son Nhat Internal Airport securities didn’t confiscate his passport, they only filed a citation and told lawyer Dinh that he is not permitted to leave due to security reasons, according to Decree 136 of the government regarding departure and arrival.

20. Priest Anton Dang Huu Nam kidnapped by Ha Noi authorities

On August 4 afternoon, the main priest of Phu Yen Church of Vinh Diocese, Priest Anton Đặng Hữu Nam was coerced to enter a taxi by public securities to go to the station for questioning. He was held in the precinct for 4 hours and was released at 5 PM. He revealed this time he goes to Ha Noi to treat his sickness.

Priest Anton Dang Huu Nam along with a few other priests of Vinh Diocese had hosted protests for environmental reasons and denunciation of the Formosa case. They also request the state authorities to trial the leaders of these illegal acts. These protests often has the participations of churchgoers of Nghe An.

21. Nguyen Quang A detained prior to his meeting with many diplomats

On August 5, Hanoi public securities kidnapped Nguyễn Quang A. He revealed that when he had just left his private home in Gia Lam to meet with Mr. Lax Konrad, an official of the German embassy in Vietnam and Mr. Tim Krap, the secondary secretary of the Embassy of the Netherlands, and Mr. Robbie Taylor, vice ambassador of New Zealand Embassy. Six undercover public securities forced him into a car. They took him to the precinct of Que Vo District, Bac Ninh.

22. Former prisoner of conscience Ho Thi Bich Khuong harassed while going to the hospital

On August 8, former prisoner of conscience Ho Thi Bich Khuong took her son to the hospital to be checked for a surgical operation; her son got into a traffic accident last month that was most likely caused by local public securities. While waiting in the hall of the hospital, a man who claimed to be Nghe An public security agent requested Mrs. Khuong to follow him back to the precinct. She recognized he was one of the many agents who harassed and defamed her in the past; hence, she declined the request.

This person then called one of his co-workers about the situation. When Mrs. Khuong contacted the Human Rights Protection agent to inform him of what had occurred, public securities mobilized the hospital security guards to kick her out of the building.

23. Rocks and dirty substance thrown at private home of Priest Phan Van Loi

Priest Phan Văn Lợi, Co-Chairman of Former Prisoners of Conscience of Vietnam Organization, revealed that around 4:30 AM on Sunday August 14, a group of 4 people on the scooters came by his house and threw 3 bags of dirty substances inside his home. One of the four even picked up rocks to throw on the roof of his home.

This is not the same attack incident that happened to his private home that happened prior to this. A similar incident taken place in July of the year before by a few bandits that the priest suspected are actually local public securities.

24. Dak Lak authorities detained and interrogated an environmental activist of Ede ethnicity

On August 28, authorities of Ea Bhok commune, Cu Kuin district of Dak Lak Province held Ms. H Buanbdap, a 27 years-old woman of Ede ethnicity, in custody for two days due to her post on her personal Facebook page regarding the environmental pollution caused by Formosa in the Central Region of Vietnam.

She was held in custody and interrogated for two days and one night. When her family members went to the Ea Bhok Commune Committee to ask for her whereabouts, the local authorities denied and claimed they did not keep her. Communal public securities were considered to be violating her rights from monitoring her Facebook page.

25. Land rights activist Trinh Ba Phuong detained and threatened a probation by public securities

On August 26, public securities of Ha Noi City disbursed a protest of land petitioners of Ha Dong and held Mr. Trịnh Bá Phương in custody for a few hours. During these hours holding Mr. Phuong at La Khe Ward, the Ha Noi public securities insulted, threatened to beat, and claimed they would put him on probation for 1 year, and if he violates the law, they would put him to prison to “reform” him.

26. Democracy activist Mai Van Tam detained and interrogated

On September 6, Mr. Mai Văn Tám, a member of the Brothers Democratic Society, was taken in custody and interrogated for 9 hours in the precinct by public securities of Quang Binh Province.  Mr. Tam revealed that when he went to Ward 3 public security precinct to make an identification card, instead of being helped he was taken into an interrogation room by many security officers regarding his advocacy work for democracy, human rights, and environmental protection.

27. Lien Tri Pagoda coerced, Abbot went to Emergency

At 7AM of September 8, according to Monk Dong Minh of Lien Tri Pagoda, the authorities used physical force to suppress the pagoda, kidnapped the monks along with the Buddhists who were in the pagoda, preventing people from entering and demolished the pagoda.

A few civil society participants came to the pagoda but were stopped by a fence of public securities, prohibiting them from interacting with the monks and entering the pagoda. Simultaneously, tens of people from other civil society organizations were surrounded by securities and stopped from leaving their organizations to support the pagoda.

The Abbot of Lien Tri Pagoda is Ven. Thích Không Tánh were taken into the hospital by public securities. Other monks were temporarily arrested and taken to a remote area of Cat Lai, Ward 2 by public securities. All the Buddhist statues were broken and the entire pagoda was demolished…

28. Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton’s image smeared by regional radio station

From mid September to mid October of 2016, Quang Yen Commune Radio Station, Quang Xuong District, Thanh Hoa, continuously broadcasted news with a smearing content of Pastor Nguyễn Trung Tôn’s image and personality. They propagate, distorted, and slandered Pastor Ton’s image as a reactionary figure, opposing the state government; the radio station promoted people to boycott and isolate Pastor Ton.

29. Human rights activist Phan Cam Huong prohibited from leaving Vietnam

On September 24, human rights activist Phan Cẩm Hường planned to take her son to study abroad in Singapore, however, she was stopped and detained by immigration officers at Noi Bai Airport for many hours. The public securities side gives the reason of her detention and ban to leave: national security reason according to Decree 136 of the State.

30. Public securities stopped human rights activists from attending an RSF conference in France

On September 26, Noi Bai Airport securities stopped Mr. Vũ Quốc Ngữ’s departure to Paris for a forum conference hosted by Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres –RSF). Mr. Vu is a freelance journalist and a human right activist.

Noi Bai Airport securities refused to complete the paperwork and departure for Mr. Vu Quoc Ngu, who is the chief executive officer of Defen the Defenders (DTD) and a member of Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam (IJAVN). Afterward, he was taken into a private room of the airport securities and explained that he is not allowed to leave due to the suggestions of Ha Noi City public securities.

This is the second time Mr. Vu, who is a co-president of Vietnam Independent Civil Society Organizations Network (VICSON), is prevented from leaving Vietnam by the Ha Noi City public securities. In July 2015, he was detained while waiting to depart to Bangkok for a net security training hosted by RSF.

31. Business establishment of Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton’s family was harassed

At the end of October, 2016, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Lành, wife of Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, were repeatedly attacked by “bandits” and undercover public securities. Some of these incidents took place in her home, sometimes it happens outside where she does her business. At Mrs. Nguyen’s store in the market, the “bandits” disrupted, destroyed, and sabotaged her products; they declared her family including Pastor Nguyen will not be allowed to work or do any business at Lang Market anymore.

32. Ha Noi Public Securities illegally held activist Truong Minh Tam in custody

In the afternoon of November 5, Ha Noi public securities arrested activist Trương Minh Tam when he showed up at the Judicial Academy in Mai Dich Ward, Cau Giay District, Ha Noi. They took Mr. Truong into a car and took him to Ha Nam. He was released in the late evening of that day. According to Mr. Truong, the Ha Noi authorities’ reason to kidnap him was to prevent him from taking his graduation exam and become a lawyer.

33. Hue authorities consistently persecute Priest Phan Van Loi

Father Phan Văn Lợi informed: the first incident occurred around 3PM on Tuesday November 8, at exactly the time Priest Tran Van Quy came by to pick up Father Phan to drive to the

A woman’s protesting two plain clothes who is barring Father Loi (black shirt).

Diocese of Hue (1 km away from father Phan’s house) to attend a conference. However, when they just stepped outside of the gate, two anonymous individuals, that Father Phan believed were undercover public securities, blocked them from leaving. Many people of the neighbor oppose the two individuals of their action. Then, they fabricated a story of Father Phan owing someone money and had not paid back, so they were paid to come and guard Father Phan. Without another other options, Father Phan let Father Quy go to the Diocese by himself.

The second harassment occurred five days after the first one, on November 13, Father Phan and a leader of the Eucharist Youth Group came to accompany him to host a Sunday mass at Phu Cam Church. Prior to that, more anonymous individuals came to his house to prevent him from going with the same tactic as the first incident. However, when another priest and the Eucharistic Youth Group leader came by, these people left. Thanks to this, he was able to host a mass at Cam Phu Church. However, at around 11PM the next day, 4 disguised individuals with masks, drove and parked nearby Father Phan’s house, surrounded his house and began to throw rocks and dirty matter in his house.

The third incident occurred on November 24, a gang came by his house midday to pour 502 superglue (a very strong superglue) into the lock of his house gate. This is the sixth time they’ve poured superglue into Father Phan’s lock.

34. Public security agents harassed Mr. Phan Ba Hai’s home by conducting administrative check at 11PM

After many days of monitoring and watching, Hoc Mon District public securities discovered that a young man had just came to reside in Mr. Phạm Bá Hải’s house without reporting his residency. On the night of November 10, public securities and security forces oh Hoc Mon District conducted an administrative check at Mr. Pham Ba Hai’s house.  This is their excuse for them to make loud noises, create disruptions, and harass the home from 11PM to 1:30AM. They made a “discovery” report regarding a laborer working at the home without reporting his temporary stay. After that, security agents continues to send them 4 more letters regarding this report.

35. Trash thrown on the grave of Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton’s father

In mid November, 2016, bandits and security forces came to attack Pastor Nguyễn Trung Tôn’s house with dirty substances, shrimp sauce, and insulted and threatened the lives of Pastor Ton and his family members. More than that, they also committed condemnable acts – spitting and dumping trash on the grave of Pastor Ton’s father.

36. Ha Noi public securities threw dirty trash into the home of blogger Tuong Thuy

Mr. Nguyễn Tường Thụy wrote on his personal Facebook page the following: “Yesterday, dirty substances were dumped into my home. The renters did not understand the situation so they quietly helped pack the trash into a plastic bag and cleaned the pathway. I opened the trash bag to see what the Vietnamese public securities had gifted me and saw two dogs’ heads, fish sauce, and other dirty trashes.”

“Three days ago, Thanh Tri public securities blocked me from going to the court for the trial of Can Thi Theu on November 30. Next, I hosted a reunion meeting for 28 people to commemorate International Human Rights Day on December 1st.”

37. Vlogger Dua Leo [Megalon], a.k.a. Nguyen Phuc Gia Huy, was summoned by PA83

In an interview with the BBC on December 13, comedian Dưa Leo, “I decided to go there upon receiving the summons. That’s because I thought the summons was just like an invitation to a wedding; they invite me and I agree to go.”

“Humorously speaking, if I declined to go, they would feel angry. On principal, however, as a Vietnamese citizen I must abide by the constitution and the law. So, I arranged some time to work with PA83 in the spirit of a law-abiding citizen.” “You ask me about what they and I were working on, I must say sorry that they had told me not to say anything to the public, so it’s hard for me to answer you.”

He explained, “Honestly I didn’t think that someday I would be summoned by the police. Actually my clips just reflected the wrong, the bad and the evil in our society; I myself have never admitted that I am producing political videos.” “I only produce funny video clips with an aim to make the society better. That’s all.”

38. Pham Van Troi’s family was attacked at night in Thuong Tin, Ha Noi on December 20, 2016

Activist Phạm Văn Trội said, “Initially they burnt the nearby electricity pylon to cause damage to the meter box and blackout. Then a vehicle with signal jammer was sent in, and there were 5 well-equipped hackers to detect video devices. Another vehicle was carrying about 35 men. They rushed to surround my house. Power and Internet connection were cut off, and my cell phone got inaccessible. My house was absolutely isolated. After that, stones and bricks were hurled like a heavy rain at window glasses. At about 11pm, they stopped hurling and they left at midnight.”

For nearly three hours the whole country town got chaotic. The screams of women, elderly people and children ripped the darkness in the quiet country town. Troi’s old family, including his old mother and wife and children, experienced a scary night. He phoned the local authorities, knowing well that it would be useless. Local police came but they didn’t do anything, just moved around.

39. Ex-prisoner of conscience Tran Duc Thach was harassed

Poet Trần Đức Thạch in Nghe An said a group of plainclothes police cut the power wire connected to his house every Saturday. He reported it to the local police but did not receive any feedback. His neighbors, knowing the perpetrators were security agents, did not dare to help him. He said on December 22 that the police also pressured his landlord to turn power off on his house.

3.2      Violent cases in 2016

1. Hue: Police assaulted monks of Thien An monastery

Nearly 200 policemen, “order defenders”, and members of the local women’s association physically assaulted some monks of the Thiên An monastery in Thua Thien – Hue on January 2.

Police assailed and intimidated monks, banning them from filming or taking photos of them. Two monks were assaulted; another got kicked and trampled underfoot. A monk who was taking photographs was also beaten up and the police attempted to grab his camera. Some monks were push to ground.

Previously, the authorities reportedly found in the premises of the Thien An monastery some pine trees of reserve forests chopped down illegally, so they came and asked to confiscate these pine trees for investigation.

It is believed that the authorities actually meant to break into the monastery to watch its religious activities. They had many times asked the monks to allow them in but were declined. Sometimes they managed to creep into the monastery but the monks found and asked them out. The chopped pine trees were said to give the police a convenient excuse to get inside the monastery.

2. Nguyen Huy Tuan got assaulted and robbed of his property

According to activist Nguyễn Huy Tuấn, on January 7 he went from Hai Duong to Ha Noi. On the way, he dropped by Hoang Xa (Cam Dien, Cam Giang district) to visit 91 farmer households who were resisting land eviction. Shortly after he met them, four Hai Duong police followed him. A few minutes later, over ten more policemen rushed in and surrounded him. The farmers, worrying that the situation may get worse, told Tuan to leave.

As soon as a war-invalid’s car took Tuan away, four security agents followed him. When he got to Ban town, finding that he was tightly followed, Tuan decided to change his car. However, just when he got out of the car, the four agents gagged him and took him to a deserted alley where they beat him to unconsciousness. They stole Tuan’s bag with one table PC, one iPhone 5, USD 700, VND 800,000, ID card and passport. Total loss amounted to VND 25 million (approximately USD 1,100).

3. Truong Minh Tam got attacked again in Nghe An

Activist Trương Minh Tam went to Nghe An to attend the wedding of Ho Duc Viet, younger brother of ex-prisoner of conscience Ho Duc Hoa. At 4am January 9, when he left the bus at Quynh Vinh crossroad (Hoang Mai town, Nghe An), he was caught by three security agents. They said they would take him to the police station for some work, but in fact, they brought him to a stadium, where they robbed him of his smart phone and iPad. After that, they pushed him in a car with four guys and took him to Nghi Son industrial zone. There they robbed him of his backpack, laptop and all of his personal documents. Finally they pushed him in another car and took him to Do Len bridge, where he would be released with only his briefs left. In total, they robbed him of 1 laptop, 1 iPad, 1 smart phone, personal documents and more than VND44 million (approximately USD 2,000), all of which cost about VND 55 million. He was helped by some local people who gave him money and clothes.

4. Ex-prisoner of conscience Tran Minh Nhat had his head broken in a stone attack by the authorities

At about 8PM of February 22, former prisoner of conscience Trần Minh Nhật was harassed and injured by a group of plainclothes police. He said later, “When I was praying in my house, the police kept using their car to hit the door, trying to rush in and calling my mother to open the door. Finally my mother did. They stuck up their rear end to my house and cursed us with very rude language. When I walked toward the door, they threw a stone which is bigger than a fist at my head. The stone hit my head and I fell down. I screamed but they still threw stones at us. I pulled my mom down to fend the stones off. Later my neighbors came, but those people mobilized more and they were many in number. Then they kept on throwing stones into my house. It was a rain of stones indeed. Everybody was in panic.”

5. Violence on the “Hand-in-Hand with Land Petitioners” International Day of February 27

On February 27, land petitioners from Sai Gon, Hanoi and other cities flocked to Sai Gon and Ha Dong district (Hanoi) for peaceful rallies. A few days before, however, the police had put many human rights activists and victims of injustice under house arrest.

Mrs. Tran Ngoc Anh, a former prisoner of conscience and victim of injustice, based in Vung Tau, was beaten and had her mouth injured by the police. Mrs. Doan Thi Nu, from Tien Giang, was also beaten unconsciously at the police station of An Khanh ward, District 2 of Sai Gon. Mrs. Le Thi Kim Em, from Tien Giang, was beaten and must have short arm cast later. She was taken to An Khanh police station. Nguyen Lam Hoang Bao      was assailed in April 30 Park. A farmer named Lữ from Tien Giang was beaten and got a nosebleed.

In Hanoi, Trinh Ba Tu had his clothes torn in an assault.

6. Professor Pham Minh Hoang’ students were assaulted while filming

On March 20, Professor Pham Minh Hoang was giving lectures on soft skills to a group of young people when security forces rushed in the class and put them under arrest without any warrant or house search. As a student named Nguyễn Việt filmed them with his cell phone, a plainclothes police attacked him, causing him to vomit blood, and grabbed his camera phone.

At 2.15 PM that same day, police of District 3 in Saigon brought Professor Pham Minh Hoang back to the class to confiscate his laptop and personal belongings. They didn’t wear uniform or name badge, so the students asked, “Why are you performing official duties without wearing name badge and uniform?” The head of the District 3 police said, “Who the hell are you that ask me to wear uniform?”

7. Nguyen Cong Thu was attacked by An Giang police

On April 1, Nguyễn Công Thủ, member of the Defend the Defenders, was brutally attacked by dozens of plainclothes police in An Giang province. When he was on the way to his spouse’s, he was stopped by traffic police at Long Dien A, Cho Moi district. After that, dozens of plainclothes police began to severely attack him. Thu fainted. When he got up and tried to ride back home on his motorbike, the attackers chased him and kept on beating him until he arrived home at My An town.

Thu realized that one of the attackers was the police chief of Long Dien A. He also recognized a security officer from Cho Moi district. While attacking him, these thugs warned that they would beat him to death if he went on his human rights activities. Subsequently plainclothes police surrounded Thu’s house and prevented his family from taking him to hospital.

They only left at the end of April 2, the death anniversary of Huynh Phu So, the leader of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church who was assassinated by the communists in 1947. On April 1, some members of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church were also attacked when they went to Quang Minh pagoda to commemorate their late leader.

8. Huong Phuong Catholics were suppressed by Quang Binh police with tear gas

On April 6, the Quang Binh authorities mobilized police, special task forces, and “civil order defenders”, equipped with guns and tear gas to attack Catholic community of Huong Phuong parish, Vinh city.

Priest Peter Le Nam Cao said, “This week, Catholics of Huong Phuong parish practiced Eucharistic adoration for Vinh diocese, so they carried flags and banners to church for decoration. However, the Quang Binh authorities mobilized police and special task forces, equipped with guns, to the spot and they directed guns toward the religious practitioners. They also attacked and seriously injured many people, and the tear gas hurt the people’s eyes. Now they have broken all the decorative gates down and confiscated flags of the church.”

At least 4 people suffered from bloodshed. A Catholic named Thin had his eyes wounded with tear gas and his body bruised after police assault.

9. Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh’s wife was assaulted in the police station

On April 14, Mrs. Trần Thị Hồng, wife of pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, was assaulted by the police of Pleiku city (Gia Lai province) right in the police station of Hoa Lu ward when she was summoned.

She said, “At about 8.30 am, as soon as I left home to take my children to school, some local officials came and asked me to go with them. I refused because I needed to take my kids to school; moreover, they summoned me without prior invitation or notification. But they forced to go by catching my neck, carrying me to their four-seat car and taking me to the police station of Hoa Lu ward of the Pleiku city. When we arrived at the place, they pushed me in one room and closed the door. After that, they began to beat me, pulling my hair, slapping and kicking me in my stomach. They forced to report on the visit by a delegation on religious freedom to my family on March 30. However, I found it unacceptable that they beat and assault me for no reason, so I declined to ‘work’ with them. Therefore they went on beating me until 11.30 am, when they sent a cameraman in to film and take photos of me. Then they released me. But at that time, I couldn’t walk anymore; I just crawled upon the floor to the door. Three people must come and carry me to the car, then they took me home by car, leaving me at my house’s gate and went away.”

Prior to the assault, on March 30, a delegation on religious freedom, including Mr. David V. Muehlke (political officer at the US Embassy), Mr. David Saperstain (US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom), Mr. Garrett Harkins (political officer at the US consular in HCMC), and Ms. Victoria L. Thoman visited pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh’s family at his home. Reportedly the visit was meant to investigate the situation of religious freedom in Vietnam and how pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was maltreated in prison. They had planned to meet Mrs. Hong at Hotel No. 1 Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Pleiku city. However, the meeting was obstructed, so the delegation decided to meet her in person at her home.

10. Chu Manh Son and Truong Minh Tam were assaulted during detention

Activist Truong Minh Tam was arrested for his activities related to the fish death disaster in Vung Ang and released on May 4. Another activist, Chu Manh Son, was released earlier at 11PM May 2.

Both Trương Minh Tam and Chu Mạnh Sơn were arrested almost at the same time. On May 1, in its evening newscast, the state-owned Vietnam Television (VTV) reported that the authorities had arrested Truong Minh Tam and Chu Manh Son when these two persons got near the Formosa industrial zone in Ky Ha (Ha Tinh) to research the fishers’ livelihood in the area after the massive fish deaths.

In an interview with BBC on May 5, activist Truong Minh Tam said, “They arrested me in a very bad manner without warrant. During the six days in detention I was beaten, and even stripped off sometimes, and they extorted me.” “I chose to remain silent, let them speak, and insist that I didn’t do anything wrong or unlawful.” “I believe that the authorities must release me in the end because there was not enough evidence to charge me, and partly because of the pressure from the public.” Mr. Tam also denounced that the police had confiscated his laptop MacBook, Sony smart phone, and imposed a fine of VND2.5 million on him.

Activist Chu Manh Son, former prisoner of conscience, was seriously beaten, too, during his detention.

11. Assaulted for joining environmental rallies on May 1

Mr. Đỗ Đức Hợp participated in a rally for environmental protection on May 1. He said the HCM City police had beaten him up and arrested him before he could join the rally. They kept him handcuffed in the police station for ten hours without any fact-based charge.

In the Ham Nghi-Sai Gon area, at noon on May 1, participants in the rally began to be knocked down by the police. Tường Vi, a young woman wearing white ao dai and a conical leaf hat with human rights logo, was repeatedly kicked and punched by the police.

12. Father Joseph Nguyen Van The of the Bac Ninh diocese was attacked by thugs

At about 6.30 PM May 7, priest Giuse Nguyễn Văn Thế of the Dong Chuong parish in Bac Ninh diocese was brutally attacked on his way back home after an offering ritual.

The attackers used clubs and iron sticks to beat him at Son Duong district (Tuyen Quang province). Father The suffered from multiple injuries, his whole body was bruised and swollen and he had to stay in Hung Vuong hospital (Phu Tho province) for treatment afterwards.

It is believed that this was a planned attack by the police because father The had been very vocal in criticizing the authorities’ wrongdoings. Father Joseph Nguyen Van Phong of the Dong Chuong parish described the attack as “a planned and arranged one rather than accidental.”

13. “Beat all, arrest all” against peaceful protestors against Formosa in May 2016

Below is what Huong To, a young lady, said from her heart after the May 8 protest rally:

“I know you must perform your duty. I am just asking you to think of your family a little, because who you are fighting is actually who are trying to help you while those you obey will not give any edible fish. If any of you is from the central region of Vietnam, he or she will understand this.”

“Many of them bowed their heads and wept tears – it was tear, not sweat – and I know they retained their conscience. I went on to say, “So, if your wife, your children or parents were among us, would you beat us?”

“Beat all, arrest all!” a man in glasses scowled at me.

Pictures of violent victims: Lầu Nhật Phong, Huỳnh Thành Phát, Lê Sỹ Bình, Đỗ Đức Hợp, Hoàng Mỹ Uyên, Phạm Thành Nhân

Less than ten minutes later, the violent suppression began. People were pulled and dragged to the first vehicle that I was able to photo, and they were brutally beaten up behind the curtain. I was pushed in the second or third vehicle. When the violence began, I was fully aware that I was intentionally surrounded and arrested, not accidentally. I could hear their orders very clearly, “push her in the bus,” “beat those fucking guys to death,” though I was pushed down on the ground and got kicked in my head and stomach. They dragged me on the ground while my friends were trying to hold me. I am small, so it was not hard for two of them to throw me into the bus as if I were a pack. From that moment on I knew what was lying ahead of me. Honestly speaking, many people felt sorry for me for being assaulted, but what I suffered from was too little compared to those elders who were knocked down, blood splashing from their head and nose, and they were threatened to be killed… though they are of their parents’ age.”

14. Nguyen Viet Dung with four days and nights suffering police violence

At about 11pm May 20, Nguyễn Viết Dũng left Chieu café. When he was ten meters away from the café, a group of men rushed to beat him savagely and threw him into their car.

At 6pm May 22, he was taken under escort to Tan Son Nhat airport for a trip back to Vinh City (Nghe An province). The police took cash from his pocket to buy air tickets.

Upon arrival they took him to Huong Sen hotel in Cua Lo, Nghe An. There they kept beating and intimidating him. They said they would give Dung lethal injection or make him disappear or get him lunatic. They forced Dung to open his cell phone, get the contents inside it printed, and sign to confirm evidence against him. If Dung said anything referring to law, they would beat him. If he mentioned human rights, they would beat him, too, in a very brutal manner to let him know that “there is no law here.”

At about 6.30pm May 24, three policemen took Dung from Cua Lo to his home at Hau Thanh (Yen Thanh, Nghe An).

15. Nguyen Van Thanh had his face swollen after an assault on June 5

At 6pm June 5, Nguyễn Văn Thạnh rode his bike to a café opposite to University of Economics. He recounted, “I went there to offer to sell the article, “The tale of a tree full of worms” (“Câu chuyện cây lắm sâu”), to some guests there. Suddenly a stranger grabbed the copies of the article from me and gave me a strong punch on the nose. That guy even pointed at my face and shouted, “get off here.””

After beating and intimidating Thanh, the stranger went to Thanh’s bike and took his bag away. Thanh, finding he was alone without anyone’ support, left the café and went to another café about 200 meters away from there. But when he entered the new café, many uniformed and plainclothes police and “order defenders” appeared. They took him to the police station and accused him of disseminating that article.

16. The Lao Cai authorities caused troubles to Muong Khuong religious community

On June 12, the police disrupted a divine service held by the Muong Khuong religious community in Lao Cai province. About 30 policemen and members of the local National Front, Women’s Association, Communist Youth Union, and even the chair of the Muong Khuong district, rushed into the church, shouting and chasing people away so that the ceremony could not be held. The police beat up and choked a man, then took him to the local police station with two other persons, including an eighth-grade student.

Parishioner Phan Thi Lan recounted what happened, “The police rushed and arrested those who were filming. They attacked and arrested Tuan, Thang, and an eighth-grade pupil.” A witness, Mrs. Tran Thi Tram, said, “The police grabbed Thang by his neck and arm, kicked him and arbitrarily arrested him.”

Thang, the one who got attacked, confirmed, “I didn’t know why they arrested me as if I were a criminal. They choked me and banged my head against the wall, then took me to the police station.”

17. Tran Thi Hong was attacked after she denounced police’s assault on her

Mrs. Trần Thị Hồng, wife of Protestant pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, was attacked again by the police of Hoa Lu ward, Pleiku city, Gia Lai province.

On August 27-28, the police came to her house and took her to the local police station for interrogation and extortion. The police said they would not give up repressing her until she made a written confirmation to deny that she had been attacked in April.

18. Police disrupted a wedding, blocking guests

Facebooker Phạm Bá Hải said, “At 10  of June 11, a friend of mine and I went to Cho Moi, An Giang by car to attend the wedding of Nguyen Cong Thu, son of former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Thanh Phong and Nguyen Thu Ha.

As soon as we got into Cho Moi, we saw a force including both uniformed and plainclothes police was developed along the two sides of the road. Two traffic police waved their clubs to stop us. We thought it was an administrative controlling procedure. But they told us that the road was blocked and we should reverse. We opposed, because there were other cars allowed to take that road. So, three or four thugs covered in tattoos came near to us and shouted at us, “Don’t you reverse?”

When the traffic police gave our personal documents back to us, one of the thugs slapped into our driver’s face though he did not do anything or respond to what they had done earlier.

We reluctantly went back. The thugs kept following us and intimidating until we left An Giang and Dong Thap.

19. Quang Binh: Formosa protestors were suppressed

Facebooker Bui Van Thuan reported that on July 7, there were approximately 2,000 Catholics of Con Se parish (Quang Loc town, Ba Don, Quang Binh province) who took to the street to demand Formosa’s closedown and restoration of the damaged environment. They were stamped out and the suppression led to bloodshed.

At least 10 people were seriously injured, four were taken to hospital for emergency aid, including:

– Mr. Pham Duc (1968), who was assailed by the police and was taken to Ba Don hospital in Quang Binh;

-Mr. Hoang Van Thanh (1996), who was hit by stones threw by the police and had to have four stitches in his head;

– Mr. Nguyen Van Xuan (1983), who was hit by the police with sticks. The police also kicked him on his hip and trampled on his face until he fainted.

– Mr. Hoang Tan Thanh (2006), who was hit by stones and had to have two stitches.

20. Eight people were attacked and robbed in Nghe An

Nguyen Trung Truc recounted the case in which 7 members of the Democracy Brotherhood and a friend of them were attacked on the way from Quang Binh to Nghe An on July 9, when they were going to the wedding of one member of the organization.

“When we were about 2kms from Cua Lo, we stopped to buy an envelop. Immediately 7 or 8 cars and motorbikes appeared together with a police force of between 40 and 50 people, and they suddenly attacked us.

They quickly grabbed our car key and pushed all of us into their cars. Each of us was pushed into one car, except one car that contained two among us. In each car, there were three or four plainclothes police waiting. They beat us and robbed us of all our belongings, including cell phones, wallets, personal documents, necklaces and watches, etc.

Then the cars moved, and while the cars were running, they kept beating and intimidating us. Whenever we got to an empty place, they would take us out of the cars and collectively assaulted us, using even sticks. They stripped us off, except two women.

When we arrived at the bounder between Nghe An and Ha Tinh, they pushed us off the cars and brutally beat us for the last time. Then they took us into the forest and left us there with four bikes of us. Among eight victims, six men were stripped almost naked with only their briefs left. Blood was all over our face. Almost all of us were beaten. But Nguyễn Trung Trực and Mai Văn Tám were the most seriously beaten. Tam had his whole body bruised, especially his stomach, because they struck him with sticks while his arms were tied. My back was bruised, my nose and mouth oozing blood. I had to have 4 stitches in my right ear.

It was about 3pm then. Local people found us in such situation, so they gave us drinking water, clothes and a sum of 200,000 VND. We managed to find the way back home.”

Our stolen belongings included:

• 8 smart phones worth VND32 million in total;
• 1 phone worth VND1.5 million;
• Jewelries and watches worth VND45.6 million;
• Foreign currency notes worth VND10 million;
• Cash worth VND18.8 million.

In total, we lost VND107,900,000.

21. La Viet Dung had his head broken in a police attack

On July 10, the No-U football team got together for their weekly game. They noticed that there were six plainclothes and three uniformed police prowling the pitch.

After dinner, the football players went home. One of them, Lã Việt Dũng, was stopped and attacked by five or six plainclothes policemen on an empty street.

In an interview later with the BBC, he said, “The first biker gained speed, closely following me before he kicked me so I fell off my bike to the ground. Then the three of them got off their bikes and rushed me. They punched me on my face and hit me with bricks. Only when blood splatter over my head did they stop and leave.”

22. Teacher To Oanh was hurt in an accident intentionally caused by the police

Retired teacher Tô Oanh is a human rights activist based in Bac Giang, who used to testify before the US Congress on freedom of the press in Vietnam. On July 13, he and his wife were hit in a serious traffic accident which was arguably caused by a plainclothes police.

In the morning of that day, Mr. To Oanh and his wife were riding to Hung temple while a young man of between 35 and 37 was following them closely. Sometimes he ran past. When there was about 60 kms to cover before To Oanh got home, he suddenly took a wrong turn, which made To Oanh fall off his bike in trying to avoid the collision. The bike was thrown to the middle of the road while To Oanh fell the other way round to the sidewalk about 5 meters away. He cried for help but the perpetrator didn’t help, he turned back and disappeared.

To Oanh fainted for some 10-15 minutes with blood splattered all over his face.

23. “Your fucking rights!”

Schoolboy Minh Thắng (b. 2001) said, “At 1.30pm July 23, I left the bus after a two-hour trip from Sai Gon to Ngai Giao in Ba Ria Vung Tau. I walked on foot back home. When I got to an alley near my house, some 500 meters from the bus station, two strangers hit and kicked me so I fell on the ground. They grabbed the book “Human Rights” from me and shouted, “Your fucking rights!”, and slapped me.

I took out my camera to take their photo but they snatched it from my hand. They got the memory card out and broke it, then they banged the camera on the ground to break its screen. They shouted, “What do you want to photo? Do you want me to kill you? You kid just get online and boast of yourselves.”

24. Thai Van Phap (from Dien Chau district) and Tran Thi Hien (Yen Thanh district) were assailed

On August 6, the Nghe An authorities mobilized police forces to kidnap two young persons, Thái Văn Pháp and Trần Thị Hiến, when they were going back home from La Nham parish, Vinh diocese.

As soon as Hien and Phap left La Nham parish, they were arrested by the police of Nghe An province and Nghi Loc district. They were taken to the Nghi Loc People’s Committee, where they pulled Hien’s hair, slapped her and banged her head against the chairs. Phap was also beaten and injured at his face.

“When they arrested us, they didn’t tell us why. But as far as I know, they wanted to prevent us from joining a rally for environmental protection on the following day of August 7, at the request of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of Vinh diocese. However, after detaining us for three hours, they found no excuse and had to release us,” Hien said.

25. Nguyen Lam Hoang Bao was arrested and beaten for wearing human rights advocacy T-shirt

On August 8 night, Nguyễn Lâm Hoàng Bảo, a youth who used to attend many environmental and anti-China rallies, was temporarily arrested and assaulted by the police of ward 3, district 6 in HCMC, just because he was wearing a human rights advocacy T-shirt.

It was nearly midnight. Bao was riding his motorbike within district 3 when he was stopped by traffic police for administrative control procedure. Because he was wearing the human rights T-shirt, the traffic police called their local counterparts. Bao tried to film that with his camera phone, but the police grabbed him of the phone and took him to the nearby police station. His friends came to demand his released but their efforts failed. The police also robbed his friends of two smart phones.

Bao was taken to the police station of district 3, where he was brutally beaten up before being released at noon the next day.

26. Khanh Hoa police suppressed protestors against an environment polluting waste-processing factory

In the morning of August 12, at Ninh Ich village (Ninh An town, Ninh Hoa district, Khanh Hoa province), police and special task forces stamped out a demonstration of the people demanding the close-down of a nearby waste processing factory which polluted the environment. The police attacked many people, including women and children.

Local people said that every time the factory burnt the wastes, it would cover roofs, ceilings, and walls with smoke and white dust. That was not all: anyone who inhaled the smoke and dust discharged from the factory would feel sick, suffer from headache, blemishes and itches. Its garbage trucks gave off stinking smells whenever they passed by the area.

27. Four bloggers were arrested when reporting on suppression in Khanh Hoa

On August 13, four bloggers Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, Biện Đình Luật, Tôn Nữ Khiêm Cung and Nguyễn Bá Vinh were attacked by a group of ten plainclothes police after they went to Ninh Ich village (Ninh An town, Ninh Hoa) to report on the suppression of local people who opposed the environment polluting factory in the area.

On their way back to Nha Trang city, the bloggers were attacked by the followers who kicked them off the bikes and beat them up on street. Blogger Nguyen Ba Vinh said one of the attackers tried to hit him with a scimitar but he avoided it.

The attackers grabbed the bloggers of their cell phones and cameras, smashing them and throwing the pieces into a nearby river.

28. Ky Anh parishioners were attacked when they joined a rally on August 15, 2016

On August 15, more than 4,000 parishioners of Quy Hoa made a rally from the local church to Ky Anh town to request government accountability in compensating fishers who were affected by the Formosa-caused disaster.

However, as soon as they left their village, they were stopped by local police and special task forces.

Parishioner Nguyen Thanh Lang said the rally was held by the parishioners themselves because their leading priest was out days before. He said they were upset about Formosa secretly discharging and burying wastes across Ky Anh town. “Yesterday, we went about 4kms away from the church and we were all right. But since we moved on with the next 3 kms, we were hindered to a large extent; the police did not let us go. They even beat up some of us, breaking the arm of one person and slightly injuring some others. The victims are now still at the Ky Anh hospital.”

29. Former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Bac Truyen and his wife were assaulted by police disguised as thugs

At about 7 PM of September 19, on their way back home from the Redemptorist Church in Ky Dong in HCM City, former prisoner of conscience Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and his wife were stopped and attacked by a group of police disguised as thugs.

He said later, “We went from the Redemptorist Church to Professor Pham Minh Hoang’s, where we lodged. When we were near and only some 500 meters from the lodge, a plainclothes policeman who was using walkie-talkie and riding a motorbike stopped us. Then two other men with helmets rushed us. I ran to the nearby phone shop.”

“Later on, when we were about to get home, 4 to 5 other men beat us. He hit me with his knees and his helmet, too. They were very brutal. I was bruised a lot.”

30. Suppression of people monitoring the trial against Can Thi Theu

Phung The Dung’s body after beating

On September 20, many people were arrested temporarily by the Hanoi police when they went to watch the trial against Can Thi Theu. During detention at the police station located at number 6 Ha Dong street, Trịnh Bá Tư, Nam Phương, Phùng Thế Dũng và Trần Thị Xuân were badly attacked.

At 3.25 PM, Trinh Ba Tu reported from inside the police station, “Uniformed and plainclothes police assaulted me. They hit me at my abdomen and threatened to kill me.”

31. La Viet Dung, member of the No-U football club, was attacked on September 22

On his way from the Hanoi People’s High Court, where bloggers Nguyen Huu Vinh (a.k.a. Ba Sam) and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy were on trial, Mr. Lã Việt Dũng were attacked by plainclothes police riding four bikes. They caused him to fall on the ground and collectively assaulted him, bleeding and injuring him. Dung was taken to hospital later for emergency aid.

32. Workshop “Youth and civil society” in Vung Tau was attacked

On October 8, a group of civil society activists went from Sai Gon to Vung Tau to work with local activists, making a team of more than 20 people sharing experience of civil society activities. However, police forces broke in their meeting and put them all under arrest for hours for “assembling without permission”.

Lawyer Le Cong Dinh, one of the activists, recounted what happened.

“We left Sai Gon at 10am and arrived in Vung Tau at midday. After dinner we went to the rendezvous point at Phan Chu Trinh street. Upon arrival we found police in great number. Traffic police, special task forces, and security agents were all there and filming us. We couldn’t get in because the place was under police siege. So we decided to move directly to the meeting venue which was Herra Palace hotel in Vung Tau. We planned to discuss on civil society, because our organizers, the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, was a civil society organization focusing on civil society activities and their growth in Vietnam. We went to Vung Tau this time mostly to meet local youths and talk to them about civil society. We had prepared a banner. Actually the meeting was not a seminar; it was just a meeting on a fixed theme that gave a space for attendants to raise opinions. Everyone had a chance to speak and share their opinions. I was going to talk about laws and regulations related to civil society in Vietnam.”

Detainees included doctor Nguyen Dan Que, Le Thang Long, Pham Ba Hai, Nguyen Thi Bich Hanh (from Nghe An), Trang Nhung, Thuy Quynh, and some other people.

Activists based in Vung Tau included Le Cong Vinh, Tran Thien Ke, Nguyen Thanh Hai, and a man named Tam.

Many were assaulted during interrogation. After eight hours of arbitrary detention, at about 11pm, the police released their victims by taking them out of Vung Tau city and pushing them out of the cars in empty places regard of the dark. All the cell phones and cameras of the activists were destroyed.”

33. Police destroyed a statue of Mother Mary, attacking Dong Yen parishioners in Ha Tinh

At 5pm October 22, police and special task forces clashed with Dong Yen parishioners in Ky Phuong ward, Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province. Many were badly hurt.

A local source said, “This afternoon, we parishioners together built a pedestal where a statue of Mother Mary would be based in the parish. But the authorities mobilized police, special task forces, uniformed and plainclothes security agents, civil order defenders, and even cranes, to the spot to attack local people and break the pedestal down.”

According to another source, “Ky Phuong police and plainclothes police threw stones at two houses in front of Dong Yen church for no reason, damaging the houses and wounding two people. Mr. Cuong, an assistant at the Dong Yen parish, was also beaten up. When the people gathered, the police got into their cars and ran away. Some plainclothes police ran away on 7-seat vehicles.”

Some local citizens, mostly women and elderly people, saw the clash and raised objections. Police threw stones at them, injuring one woman. An old man had the police car strike his leg and got injured, too.

34. Do Phi Truong was arrested and assailed for two days

On November 9, Đỗ Phi Trường got arrested, assailed and charged by the police with political party involvement. After released, Truong told the Radio Free Asia about his detention, “The police summoned me with charge that I was involved in the group “Alliance of Self-determined Vietnamese”. They accused me of being deputy leader of the alliance. They extorted confession from me but I refused because I was not the alliance’s deputy leader. They detained me at the police station for two days and a half, beating me up without giving me any food or water, then taking me to the city police for half a day. After nine hours of being detained, I was released, but today I’ve had to work with them for one more half of the day. They compelled me to report on what happened in the past days and asked me about my relations with the Alliance of Self-determined People, or about what the alliance had done. But I had told them all what I knew.”

35. Facebooker Vu Dat Phong was arrested and assailed by the police

Mr. Vũ Đạt Phong from Cam Ranh was arrested by public security and secret agents at 3pm November 15. They took him to the police station of Cam Ranh city and questioned him about why and how he signed a request demanding the communist authorities to release blogger Me Nam [Mother Mushroom].

Security officers and secret agents caught Phong’s hair, banged his head against the table, and forced him to sign and confirm that he was the one who abetted other people to call for Me Nam’s freedom.

Not until midnight November 16 did the police release Vu Dat Phong. But they had earlier confiscated his cell phone and used it to log into his facebook page, thereby published a fake status saying Vu Dat Phong had withdrawn from the campaign “Free Me Nam”.

36. Nguyen Thanh Huan insisted that those in plainclothes who beat him were public security officers

Nguyễn Thành Huân (from Nghe An) told the CaliToday about his case that on December 2, he picked a bus to Vinh to attend the wedding of former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Dinh Cuong. When the bus entered Vinh city, a group of 4 or 5 people got into it. They approached him and threatened him.

“They pinioned my arms behind me and pulled me out to the ground. They hit me repeatedly in my face and eyes. After that they carried me to a black, seven-seat car, where they hooded me and stripped me off. They kept striking me with belts, hitting me at my back, sides, and legs… They said they would beat me till I broke my legs.”

The attackers took Huan by car to a mountainous area in Thanh Chuong, where there were few people passing by, and they went on beating him brutally until he fainted.

Huan suffered from the torture since around 9 AM to 11 AM. The attackers not just beat him but also robbed him clothes, money and two cell phones before they left. When Huan woke up, his whole body was injured, but he tried to call for help. Some local people came and they helped him with clothes so that he could go home.

37. Activist Dinh Hong Quyen had his nose fractured by the plainclothes police

On December 3, activist Đinh Hồng Quyền had his nose fractured by plainclothes police when he was in Dinh Cong, Ha Noi. Eli Cao and Vu Hang reported on the assault when it was happening in Hanoi:

“Currently facebooker Dinh Hong Quyen was attacked by a group of plainclothes, undercover police. This young man was the one who helped Vu Hang a lot in collecting information and image materials about the trial against Can Thi Theu. Vu Hang received his call and she only had enough time to download three photos from his account before the mobile signal was cut off.”

38. Clash between the authorities and people of Ha Tinh, one person got injured

In the morning of December 10, the People’s Committee of Thach Lac town (Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh province) held a meeting among local leaders to discuss and prepared for the distribution of the compensation regarding the environmental disaster caused by Formosa Ha Tinh in April.

As the meeting came to its end, some local people managed to enter the meeting room, asking why they had not received any fund, and requesting Phuong, a low-rank leader at Bac Lac unit, to explain the process. This led to a quarrel between them and Phuong, in which Lam, an order defender at Chua market, attacked Trần Văn Rô, one of the local people who came to ask about compensation. Ro got injured and was taken to Ha Tinh general hospital for treatment. After the clash, 300 people of Thach Lac town, alleging that public officials had used violence against citizens, gathered at the town hall demanding a hearing with the authorities.

39. Trinh Ba Phuong got beaten in the police station

On the International Human Rights Day of December 10, the police forced Trịnh Bá Phương to go to the police station of Duong Noi (Hanoi). He declined to work with them, opposing the arbitrary detention. At the police station, they pinioned his arms, squeezing his throat and kneeing him in the groin. They even insulted him with offensive language. They wanted to prevent him from attending a celebration of the International Human Rights Day.

40. Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh was attacked on street

Civil rights activist Nguyễn Hồ Nhật Thành told the VOA that the assault on him was carried out on December 26. He said security officers had tried to hinder him from giving courses on civil rights and social activities to young people.

On December 26, they surrounded the location of one of his classes. Upon receiving text messages from the young students calling for help, he quickly arrived at the scene and was arrested by a group of more than ten people. These people collectively beat him; one of them even threatened to kill him with his gun. After that, they took him to the police station of Tan My ward (District 7, HCMC), where he would be detained for seven hours.

Near midnight, he was released. On the way back home, his taxi was stopped by about twenty people. They pulled him off the taxi and assaulted him. He said, “They blocked all vehicles from getting into Nguyen Van Linh street so that no one could take photo or film the assault. As soon as they pulled me off the taxi, they rained blows on me, collectively and repeatedly. I nearly fainted in two or three minutes. I firmly believe that the group stayed in direct contact with the police.”

41. Activist Truong Minh Huong was assailed by Ha Nam police

Lawyer Ha Huy Son wrote on his facebook page, “This morning, December 22, after a trial in which local citizens, as plaintiffs, lost to the People’s Committee of Ly Nhan district, Mr. Truong Minh Huong, my client and I left the court. We had lunch together when we drank a little bit. The Ha Nam police department had traffic police set an ambush on us for fine. Subsequently, I went to the bus station to get back to Hanoi while Mr. Huong returned home. As soon as we said goodbye, a plainclothes attacked him. So I decided to accompany him in the bus. But the plainclothes police forced the bus driver not to give us the ride. We reluctantly moved to a taxi running toward Hanoi. Security officers kept following us on their bikes. When we reached the milestone located 51 kms from Hanoi (or 7km from Phu Ly city) on National Highway 1A, where there was a traffic police post, a security officer ran past us and asked the traffic police to stop our taxi and have we get out.

Then the taxi stopped, we got out and six or seven plainclothes police struck heavy blows on Huong. He collapsed right before the traffic police who had just stopped our taxi. I tried to calm them down but I failed. I asked the traffic police to protect citizens and not to let those officers attack Mr. Huong. The traffic police evaded answering me. I took Huong to the house opposite to the traffic police post and asked for help; the traffic police ran away. Blood from his nose spattered over the ground and my black suit.”

Later on, Truong Minh Huong told the SBTN, “People in the neighborhood told me that one of my attackers was a policeman named Long, currently working for the Phu Ly police in Ha Nam province.”

42. Police robbed and brutally assaulted activist Nguyen Van Dung

On December 23, on his way to Nghe An to celebrate Christmas, Nguyễn Văn Dũng (a.k.a. Dung Aduku) was made to fall off his motorbike by a biker following and then moving past him. The strangers hooded Dung with his jacket, beat and carried him to a seven-seat vehicle.

Dung recalled later, “They kept torturing me inside the car for about half an hour when the car was still running. They took my coat off, hit me with my belt and punched me repeatedly. I felt breathless. When I told them so, they loosened the hood but had me lie prostrate so that I could not see them. The attack hurt me a lot and left awful traces on my body. The most terrible thing they did, however, was when a man turned me upward and palpated my chest. Then he found a point in my chest and he began to punch me repeatedly at it. Having suffered continuous blows on a point in the chest, I felt so painful and hard to breathe. Finally the car stopped and they pushed me down in a pond.”

Dung went to the nearest police station, based at Hai Binh town, Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa province, and reported on the attack. “In total I was robbed of a motorbike worth 20 million VND, a laptop of 3 million VND, a smart phone of 3 million VND, a cell phone, 12 million VND in cash, all the clothes and belongings I brought with me, ID card, driving license, and motorbike ownership registration. They only left my briefs, T-shirt and the jacket they used to hood me before.”

3.3   Imprisonment in 2016: 11 cases

 Can Thi Theu was put under arrest on June 10 and sentenced to 20 months in prison under Article 245 of the Penal Code.

 Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh was arrested on October 10 and charged under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

Doctor Ho Hai (based in Sai Gon) was arrested on November 3 under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

 Luu Van Vinh, Nguyen Van Duc Do, Nguyen Quoc Hoan, Phan Trung, Tu Cong Nghia, Tran Linh and Nguyen Van Teo were arrested on November 6 under Article 79 of the Penal Code.

Nguyen Danh Dung was arrested by the police of Thanh Hoa province on December 14 under Article 258 of the Penal Code.

4.     LIST OF 66 PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE CURRENTLY IN JAIL

 

No.	Full names	YoB	Date of arrest (dd/mm/yy)	Sentences	House arrest	Charged under article
1.	CẤN THỊ THÊU	1962	11/6/2016	20 months		245
2.	ĐINH NGUYÊN KHA	1988	11/10/2012	4 years	3	88
3.	ĐỖ ĐÌNH DŨ	1959	25/6/2014	3 years		258
4.	ĐỖ THỊ HỒNG	1957	10/2/2012	13 years		79
5.	ĐOÀN ĐÌNH NAM	1951	6/2/2012	16 years		79
6.	ĐOÀN VĂN CƯ	1962	10/2/2012	14 years		79
7.	HỒ ĐỨC HÒA	1974	30/7/2012	13 years	5	79
8.	HỒ VĂN HẢI (BS. HỒ HẢI)	1959	3/11/2016			88
9.	HUỲNH ĐỨC MINH	1958	17/7/2014	3 years		230
10.	LÊ DUY LỘC	1956	5/2/2012	17 years		79
11.	LÊ ĐỨC ĐỘNG	1983	5/2/2012	12 years		79
12.	LÊ THANH TÙNG	1961	14/12/2015	12 years	4	79
13.	LÊ PHÚC	1951	5/2/2012	15 years		79
14.	LÊ THU HÀ	1982	16/12/2015			88
15.	LÊ TRỌNG CƯ	1966	5/2/2012	12 years		79
16.	LƯƠNG NHẬT QUANG	1987	23/11/2012	12 years		79
17.	LƯU VĂN VỊNH	1967	6/11/2016			79
18.	NGÔ HÀO	1948	8/2/2013	11 years		79
19.	NGÔ THỊ MINH ƯỚC	1957	8/7/2014	4 years	3	88
20.	NGUYỄN CÔNG CHÍNH	1964	28/4/2011	11 years		87
21.	NGUYỄN DANH DŨNG	1987	14/12/2016			258
22.	NGUYỄN DINH	1968	23/11/2012	14 years		79
23.	NGUYỄN ĐẶNG MINH MẪN	1985	2/8/2011	8 years	4	79
24.	NGUYỄN ĐÌNH NGỌC (NGUYỄN NGỌC GIÀ)	1966	27/12/2014	3 years		88
25.	NGUYỄN HOÀNG QUỐC HÙNG	1981	23/2/2010	9 years		88
26.	NGUYỄN HỮU VINH	1956	5/5/2014	5 years		258
27.	NGUYỄN KỲ LẠC	1951	6/2/2012	16 years		79
28.	NGUYỄN HỮU QUỐC DUY	1985	27/11/2015	3 years		88
29.	NGUYỄN HỮU THIÊN AN	1995	28/8/2015	2 years		88
30.	NGUYỄN NGỌC CƯỜNG	1956	2/4/2011	7 years		88
31.	NGUYỄN NGỌC NHƯ QUỲNH	1979	10/10/2016			88
32.	NGUYỄN QUỐC HOÀN		11/2016			79
33.	NGUYỄN THÁI BÌNH	1986	23/11/2012	12 years		79
34.	NGUYỄN THỊ BÉ HAI	1958	8/7/2014	3 years	2	88
35.	NGUYỄN THỊ MINH THÚY	1980	5/5/2014	3 years		258
36.	NGUYỄN THỊ TRÍ	1958	8/7/2014	3 years	2	88
37.	NGUYỄN VĂN ĐÀI	1969	16/12/2015			88
38.	NGUYỄN VĂN ĐỨC ĐỘ	1975	6/11/2016			79
39.	NGUYỄN VĂN HÓA	1995	8/1/2017			258
40.	NGUYỄN VĂN HỮU	1957	17/7/2014	4 years		230
41.	NGUYỄN VĂN OAI	1985	19/1/2017			257
42.	NGUYỄN VĂN TÈO		11/2016			79
43.	NGUYỄN VĂN THIỆN	1961	6/8/2014	4 years		245
44.	PHẠM THỊ PHƯỢNG	1945	15/4/2010	11 years		79
45.	PHẠM VĂN THÔNG	1962	19/7/2010	7 years	3	79
46.	PHAN THANH TƯỜNG	1987	28/2/2012	10 years		79
47.	PHAN THANH Ý	1948	23/11/2012	14 years		79
48.	PHAN TRUNG		11/2016			79
49.	PHAN VĂN THU (TRẦN CÔNG)	1948	5/2/2012	Life imprisonment		79
50.	PHÙNG LÂM	1966	21/6/2010	7 years		88
51.	TẠ KHU	1947	6/2/2012	16 years		79
52.	TRẦN ANH KIM	1953	21/9/2015	13 years	5	79
53.	TRẦN HUỲNH DUY THỨC	1966	24/5/2009	16 years	5	79
54.	TRẦN LINH		11/2016			79
55.	TRẦN PHI DŨNG	1966	10/2/2012	13 years		79
56.	TRẦN QUÂN	1984	10/2/2012	12 years		79
57.	TRẦN THỊ NGA	1977	21/1/2017			88
58.	TRẦN THỊ THÚY	1971	10/8/2010	8 years	5	79
59.	TRẦN VŨ ANH BÌNH	1975	19/9/2011	6 years	2	88
60.	TỪ CÔNG NGHĨA		11/2016			79
61.	TỪ THIỆN LƯƠNG	1950	23/11/2012	16 years		79
62.	VÕ NGỌC CƯ	1951	6/2/2012	16 years		79
63.	VÕ THÀNH LÊ	1955	5/2/2012	16 years		79
64.	VÕ TIẾT	1952	23/11/2012	16 years		79
65.	VÕ VĂN PHỤNG	1950	17/7/2014	3 years		230
66.	VƯƠNG TẤN SƠN	1953	10/2/2012	17 years		258

*** Published on February 27, 2017 ***