About the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Awards 2021'

The truth about the “honored” “human rights activists”

On November 23, the VOA Vietnamese website reported that on November 20, the organization "Vietnam Human Rights Network" announced the list of people selected by this organization to be "honored" at the "Vietnam Human Rights Awards 2021". They are Can Thi Theu, Trinh Ba Phuong, Trinh Ba Tu (same family), Dinh Thi Thu Thuy and Nguyen Van Tuc.

The "award ceremony" will be held at the Westminster Community Center, California, USA on December 12, on the occasion of the 73rd International Human Rights Day.

So, who are Can Thi Theu, Trinh Ba Phuong, Trinh Ba Tu, Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, Nguyen Van Tu?

Defendant Can Thi Theu at the trial on May 5, 2021. Photo: VNA

On May 5, 2021, the People's Court of Hoa Binh province opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendants Can Thi Theu (born in 1962) and her son Trinh Ba Tu (born in 1989), both residing in Ngoc Luong commune, Yen Thuy district, for the crime of "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents and items against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam", according to Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code.

According to the case file, due to negative and dissatisfied thoughts, between January 9 and 14, 2020, Trinh Ba Tu and Can Thi Theu used their personal Facebook accounts to live stream 8 videos with content against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Accordingly, Trinh Ba Tu was the one who used a mobile phone, used his personal Facebook account to directly speak and broadcast 1 video; used his mother Can Thi Theu's Facebook account to directly speak and broadcast 5 videos. In addition, there were 2 videos that Trinh Ba Tu used his phone to record and give Can Thi Theu the words to speak. The above videos all contained distorted content, defamed the people's government and were fabricated, causing confusion among the people.

Based on the documents, evidence and details of the case, the Trial Panel of the People's Court of Hoa Binh province sentenced the defendants Can Thi Theu and Trinh Ba Tu to 8 years in prison each for the crime of "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents and items aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" and 03 years of local probation after completing their prison sentences.

More importantly, before being sentenced to 8 years in prison by the People's Court of Hoa Binh province, Can Thi Theu had 2 previous convictions. Specifically, on April 25, 2014, Can Thi Theu was sentenced by the People's Court of Hanoi to 15 months in prison for "Resisting a person on official duty" and on November 30, 2016, she was sentenced by the People's Court of Hanoi to 1 year and 8 months in prison for "Disturbing public order", and her criminal record has not yet been cleared. In addition, Can Thi Theu also has a previous conviction for disturbing public order.

Regarding Trinh Ba Phuong (also the son of Can Thi Theu), on June 23, 2020, the Hanoi City Police Department of Security Investigation prosecuted and executed an arrest warrant to detain Trinh Ba Phuong (born in 1985, residing in Duong Noi ward, Ha Dong district) for the crime of "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents and items against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" according to Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code. Initial investigation results showed that Trinh Ba Phuong had drafted, posted and distributed video clips and articles with fabricated content, causing confusion among the people with the aim of opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Trinh Ba Phuong is currently in detention and is preparing to be tried by the Hanoi People's Court (previously, the first instance trial of Trinh Ba Phuong was scheduled to be held by the Hanoi People's Court on November 3 but was postponed due to objective reasons).

What about Dinh Thi Thu Thuy and Nguyen Van Tuc, who were also awarded this time by the organization "Vietnam Human Rights Network"?

On January 20, 2021, the People's Court of Hau Giang province opened a first-instance trial and sentenced Dinh Thi Thu Thuy (born in 1982, residing in Hau Giang province) to 7 years in prison for the crime of "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents, and items against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" under Clause 1, Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy is currently serving the Court's sentence.

Nguyen Van Tuc (born in 1964, in Thai Binh), in September 2008, was prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency for the crime of "Propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". He was later sentenced to 4 years in prison and 3 years of probation by the Hanoi High People's Court of Appeal for the same crime. In September 2017, Nguyen Van Tuc was again prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Thai Binh Provincial Police for the crime of "Activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government". In September 2018, Nguyen Van Tuc was dismissed by the Hanoi High People's Court, upholding the first instance verdict of the Thai Binh Provincial People's Court, sentenced to 13 years in prison and 5 years of probation for the crime of "Activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government" under Clause 1, Article 79 of the 1999 Penal Code.

With a list of past “achievements” like this of Can Thi Theu, Trinh Ba Phuong, Trinh Ba Tu, Dinh Thi Thu Thuy and Nguyen Van Tuc, we clearly know the nature of the so-called “Human Rights Award 2021” that the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” is promoting. This “award” is actually being awarded by the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” to lawbreakers and those who oppose the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and is absolutely not awarded to “human rights activists” as this organization promotes.

Honoring "human rights activists" or promoting opponents?

The “Vietnam Human Rights Award” is not something strange or new. Every year, the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” selects a number of subjects in the “human rights activist” community in Vietnam, who are actually subjects with anti-Party and anti-State activities, to “honor”.

“Vietnam Human Rights Network” is an organization established by a number of Vietnamese people in Little Saigon (USA) in 2002 with the purpose of “encouraging, supporting and fighting for democracy and human rights in Vietnam”. Since 2002, this organization has awarded more than 50 individuals and 4 organizations.

Among the individuals who have been awarded by the “Vietnam Human Rights Network” are: Nguyen Van Hai (blogger Dieu Cay), Nguyen Chinh Ket, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, Le Thi Cong Nhan, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Cu Huy Ha Vu, Ta Phong Tan, Pham Thi Doan Trang... Most of these people have been sentenced by the court to different sentences for violating Vietnamese law.

The “Vietnam Human Rights Award 2021” is just a clumsy act by the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” when promoting those who oppose the Party and the State of Vietnam. Photo: TL

In 2020, the “Vietnam Human Rights Award” was presented by the “Vietnam Human Rights Network” to Nguyen Nang Tinh and Nguyen Van Hoa. These are also two subjects who regularly engage in activities against the Vietnamese State. Nguyen Nang Tinh was tried by the High People's Court of Appeal and sentenced to 11 years in prison for “Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents and items aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” in April 2020. Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Hoa was sentenced to 7 years in prison by the People's Court of Ha Tinh province for “Propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” and banned from leaving his place of residence for 3 years in November 2017.

Hiding under the guise of a "human rights" organization to award "human rights" awards to those who engage in activities against the Party and State of Vietnam, what is the real plot of the organization "Vietnam Human Rights Network"?

It is not difficult to see the plot of the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network”, which is to use the so-called “Human Rights Award” to enhance the organization’s reputation; to enhance the reputation and promote opposition groups and groups with activities against the Party and the State of Vietnam under the name of “human rights activists”, thereby promoting the ideology and inciting activities against these groups. Moreover, through awarding this “award”, the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” also wants to deceive gullible people, luring them into activities against the Party and the State of Vietnam under different guises such as: “freelance journalist”, “human rights activist”, “social activist”…

In particular, through “honoring” “human rights activists” – who are actually those who have been arrested and prosecuted – the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network” also wants to call on international organizations, human rights organizations, and parliamentarians from several countries to speak out and put pressure on Vietnam on “democracy” and “human rights”, slander Vietnam for violating “democracy” and “human rights”, and lower Vietnam’s reputation, thereby interfering in our country’s internal affairs. These are clearly dangerous and extremely evil plots and tricks.

It can be seen that the essence of the so-called “Vietnam Human Rights Award 2021” is just a clumsy play, a “rehash of an old play” by the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network”. This is clearly a play disguised as a “human rights award” to “honor” and promote the anti-Party and anti-State elements of the organization “Vietnam Human Rights Network”./.