Vietnam to Try Former Prisoner of Conscience Nguyen Van Oai in August: Lawyer

By Defend the Defenders, July 21, 2017

The People’s Court in the Hoang Mai town, Vietnam’s central province of Nghe An will try former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Van Oai in August, his lawyer Ha Huy Son has announced.

Oai, who was imprisoned for four years between 2011 and 2015, was arrested on January 19 this year and charged with “Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 257 and “Failing to execute judgments” under Article 304 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.

He will face imprisonment of up to three years in jail for every charge if is convicted, according to the current Vietnamese law. He may receive heavy sentence as Hanoi is intensifying its crackdown against local political dissidents, human rights defenders, social activists and independent bloggers.

The Catholic social activist was arrested on his way home from a fishing trip in Hoang Mai town. Local authorities accused him of failing to obey by regulations set for house arrest as he is still under three-year probation period given by the previous sentence.

In August 2011, Oai was arrested for the first time together with 13 other young Catholic activists and they were charged with “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Article 79 of the Penal Code. Later, they were sentenced to between four and 13 years in prison.

After his arrest in January this year, the EU, the U.S. and other countries and international human rights have condemned Vietnam’s move, urging the communist government to release him immediately and unconditionally.

In late June, Vietnam sentenced prominent human rights advocate Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh to ten years in prison. The communist government will try social activist Tran Thi Nga on July 25 and it is likely to receive heavy sentence too as the two were charged with the same allegation “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

Vietnam is imprisoning over 100 activists, according to Human Rights Watch. Hanoi always denies to hold any political prisoners, saying it keeps in prison only law violators.