Blogger Nguyen Danh Dung Completes His 30-month Imprisonment in March

Former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Danh Dung

Defend the Defenders, May 28, 2019

 

Blogger Nguyen Danh Dung, who was arrested on December 16, 2016 on allegation of “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 258 of the Vietnamese 1999 Penal Code, completed his 30-month imprisonment in mid-March this year, Defend the Defenders has learned.

Via phone call, Mr. Dung said he was sentenced in a trial carried out by the People’s Court of Thanh Hoa city, several months after his detention. He was sent to Thanh Lam Prison camp in Nhu Thanh district, and due to his “good behaviors,” his sentence was reduced by three months.

After being released on March 16, 2019, he has been worked for his sister’s company in Thai Nguyen province, he told Defend the Defenders.

The fate of online blogger Dung remained unknown for public after his detention in mid-December 2016 until now. State media actively reported his detention, saying he was accused of posting articles to criticize the Vietnamese government and the authorities in Thanh Hoa province on systemic corruption and failure to deal with the country’s serious problems such as widespread environmental pollution, China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea, and nationwide human rights violations.

He was accused of operating ThienAnTV with anti-government content. However, the police of Thanh Hoa have never publicized their investigation results in the case so no one knows his situation.

The news about Dung’s trial was not publicized while his family remained silent. Due to the limited information about him and his family, many activists failed in their attempts to get access to his case.

Many international rights groups have expressed their concerns about the case, fearing that he may be subject of torture and inhumane treatment of Vietnam’s police.

Dung was listed as a prisoner of conscience by NOW! Campaign, a coalition of 15 domestic and international rights groups working for the release of all prisoners of conscience in Vietnam.