Activist Dang Van Thanh
Defend the Defenders, October 30, 2018
Vietnam’s authorities have imposed the administrative fines of VND7.5 million ($340) on local activist Dang Ngoc Thanh for production and dissemination of leaflets with the content opposing a bill on Special Economic Zones.
On October 25, Ho Chi Minh City’s Police Department issued a decision to request Mr. Thanh to pay a fine of VND2.5 million for “writing, disseminating and circulating 1,598 leaflets that have incorrect contents and defames the government. The leaflets was written “Say No to Giving Land to China even for One day.”
Four days later, the Department of Information and Communication of Tra Vinh province also imposed a fine of VND5 million on the activist for allegation of “providing, transfering, storing, and using information whit aim to threaten, harass or defame state officials.”
Between the two fines, on October 26-27, Thanh was detained by the police of Tra Vinh province. During his arrest and interrogation, Thanh was beaten by a police officer.
Thanh, 25, is a blogger from Can Tho City but lives temporarily in Tra Vinh. He has posted a number of articles in his Facebook account to protest China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the South China Sea.
Thanh’s detention is likely linked to the allegation that in early June he had disseminated leaflets in Can Tho City with the content calling for peaceful protest again the Vietnamese regime’s plan to pass two bills on Special Economic Zones and Cyber Security. The first is likely to favor Chinese investors to hire land for 99 years amid increasing concerns about Beijing’s aggressiveness in the South China Sea while the second aims to silence online critics.
On October 9-11, tens of thousands of Vietnamese from different social groups rallied on streets in Hanoi, HCM City, Danang, Nha Trang, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Dong Nai and other localities to protest the two bills.
In response to the public anger, Vietnam’s security forces used violent measures to disperse the public gatherings, beating and detaining hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. So far, 56 protesters have been sentenced to between eight and 54 months in prison on allegation of “disrupting public orders” while tens of others, including eight members of the Hiến Pháp (Constitution) group, are still held in police custody and facing serious accusations such as “disrupting security” and “conducting anti-state propaganda” with punishment of up to 15 years and 20 years in prison, respectively.
In September-October, Vietnam’s authorities convicted five activists named Nguyen Hong Nguyen, Truong Dinh Khang, Doan Khanh Vinh Quang, Bui Manh Dong, and Nguyen Dinh Thanh to between one year and seven years in prison for posting and disseminating leaflets calling for opposing the two bills.
The rights to freedom of peaceful expression both online and offline, and assembly have been violated seriously, especially in the past few years. Since the begining of 2018, Vietnam has arrested 27 activists and sentenced 39 human rights defenders and democracy campaigners with a total 294.5 years in prison and 66 years of probation.
As many as 22 activists are in pre-trial detention with allegations in the national security provisions in the Penal Code. They are facing lengthy imprisonments if are convicted, according to the current Vietnamese law.
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October 29, 2018
Southern Activist Fined with $340 After Being Beaten, Interrogated by Police for Opposing Bill on Special Economic Zones
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights], Dang Ngoc Thanh
Activist Dang Van Thanh
Defend the Defenders, October 30, 2018
Vietnam’s authorities have imposed the administrative fines of VND7.5 million ($340) on local activist Dang Ngoc Thanh for production and dissemination of leaflets with the content opposing a bill on Special Economic Zones.
On October 25, Ho Chi Minh City’s Police Department issued a decision to request Mr. Thanh to pay a fine of VND2.5 million for “writing, disseminating and circulating 1,598 leaflets that have incorrect contents and defames the government. The leaflets was written “Say No to Giving Land to China even for One day.”
Four days later, the Department of Information and Communication of Tra Vinh province also imposed a fine of VND5 million on the activist for allegation of “providing, transfering, storing, and using information whit aim to threaten, harass or defame state officials.”
Between the two fines, on October 26-27, Thanh was detained by the police of Tra Vinh province. During his arrest and interrogation, Thanh was beaten by a police officer.
Thanh, 25, is a blogger from Can Tho City but lives temporarily in Tra Vinh. He has posted a number of articles in his Facebook account to protest China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the South China Sea.
Thanh’s detention is likely linked to the allegation that in early June he had disseminated leaflets in Can Tho City with the content calling for peaceful protest again the Vietnamese regime’s plan to pass two bills on Special Economic Zones and Cyber Security. The first is likely to favor Chinese investors to hire land for 99 years amid increasing concerns about Beijing’s aggressiveness in the South China Sea while the second aims to silence online critics.
On October 9-11, tens of thousands of Vietnamese from different social groups rallied on streets in Hanoi, HCM City, Danang, Nha Trang, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Dong Nai and other localities to protest the two bills.
In response to the public anger, Vietnam’s security forces used violent measures to disperse the public gatherings, beating and detaining hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. So far, 56 protesters have been sentenced to between eight and 54 months in prison on allegation of “disrupting public orders” while tens of others, including eight members of the Hiến Pháp (Constitution) group, are still held in police custody and facing serious accusations such as “disrupting security” and “conducting anti-state propaganda” with punishment of up to 15 years and 20 years in prison, respectively.
In September-October, Vietnam’s authorities convicted five activists named Nguyen Hong Nguyen, Truong Dinh Khang, Doan Khanh Vinh Quang, Bui Manh Dong, and Nguyen Dinh Thanh to between one year and seven years in prison for posting and disseminating leaflets calling for opposing the two bills.
The rights to freedom of peaceful expression both online and offline, and assembly have been violated seriously, especially in the past few years. Since the begining of 2018, Vietnam has arrested 27 activists and sentenced 39 human rights defenders and democracy campaigners with a total 294.5 years in prison and 66 years of probation.
As many as 22 activists are in pre-trial detention with allegations in the national security provisions in the Penal Code. They are facing lengthy imprisonments if are convicted, according to the current Vietnamese law.