Vietnam’s youngest political prisoner sentenced to 4.5 years prison

nguyễn mai trung tuấn

“I believe the charges put forward are unjust because my brother’s actions were to protect our family and for self protection,” she said. “When he saw police aggressively arrest our mother, he tried to save her. He splashed acid as an attempt to save our mother.”

Viet Tan | Nov 27, 2015

A fifteen year old boy has become Vietnam’s youngest political prisoner. Nguyen Mai Trung Tuan was sentenced to four and a half years prison on November 24, 2015, for protesting his family’s forced land eviction.

Tuan was arrested on August 8, 2015 and charged with “intentionally inflicting injury on or causing harm to the health of other persons” under article 104 of Vietnam’s Penal Code. Tuan was also charged 42,600,000 VND ( 2,000 USD) along with his prison sentence.

Tuan’s parents were also detained earlier this year for “opposing officials on public duties.” His parents were arrested on April 14 when they resisted to being forcibly removed from their home.

Tuan’s younger sister responded to the charges laid by the court.

“I believe the charges put forward are unjust because my brother’s actions were to protect our family and for self protection,” she said. “When he saw police aggressively arrest our mother, he tried to save her. He splashed acid as an attempt to save our mother.”

Tuan was in Year 9 before having to end his schooling after his parents were arrested.