On December 12, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City carried out the first-instance hearing to try local activist and war veteran Tran Van Bang (or Tran Bang) of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the country’s Criminal Code.
The hearing lasted nearly four hours and at noon on Friday, the judge announced the final verdict of eight years in prison followed by three years of probation.
Mr. Bang, 61, was arrested on March 1, 2022. He was permitted to meet his relatives for the first time in November last year.
He was able to meet with his lawyers last week to prepare for his trial.
The state-controlled media reported that the jury panel found Tran Van Bang’s activities extremely serious and dangerous to society, violating national security, requiring serious punishment, for education purposes for him, and for deterring others to do the same.
According to the indictment, he held the idea that the Communist Party’s monopoly on power will lead to society degradation, absence of freedom, democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, right to protest, etc.
He was said to have used three Facebook accounts to publish 39 articles with anti-state content.
Bang participated in the resistance against China’s invasion of Vietnam’s northernmost region in 1981-1983.
Bang is among leading human rights defenders and democracy campaigners in Vietnam. He has been the third activist convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” so far this year. In March and April, Nguyen Lan Thang and Truong Van Dung both were sentenced to six years in prison.
Meanwhile, jailed activist Bui Tuan Lam (Peter Lam Bui) was permitted this week to meet his wife and three children for the first time since his detention in August last year on the allegation of conducting anti-state propaganda” under Clause 1, Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
He was also allowed to meet his lawyers Le Dinh Viet and Ngo Anh Tuan to prepare for his defense in his first-instance hearing which was scheduled on May 25. He is facing imprisonment of between five years and 12 years if convicted.
Ms. Nguy Thi Khanh, who was sentenced to 21 months on allegation of tax evasion last year, was released after 16 months of her detention.
The environmental activist was honored with the prestigious award Goldman for her activities which aim to promote green energy instead of energy produced by thermal coal-fueled plants in Vietnam.
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May 15, 2023
Vietnam Defend the Defenders’ Weekly Report for May 8-14, 2023: Activist Tran Bang Sentenced to 8 Years for Facebook Posting
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights], DEFENDER’S WEEKLY
Defend the Defenders | May 14, 2023
On December 12, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City carried out the first-instance hearing to try local activist and war veteran Tran Van Bang (or Tran Bang) of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the country’s Criminal Code.
The hearing lasted nearly four hours and at noon on Friday, the judge announced the final verdict of eight years in prison followed by three years of probation.
Mr. Bang, 61, was arrested on March 1, 2022. He was permitted to meet his relatives for the first time in November last year.
He was able to meet with his lawyers last week to prepare for his trial.
The state-controlled media reported that the jury panel found Tran Van Bang’s activities extremely serious and dangerous to society, violating national security, requiring serious punishment, for education purposes for him, and for deterring others to do the same.
According to the indictment, he held the idea that the Communist Party’s monopoly on power will lead to society degradation, absence of freedom, democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, right to protest, etc.
He was said to have used three Facebook accounts to publish 39 articles with anti-state content.
Bang participated in the resistance against China’s invasion of Vietnam’s northernmost region in 1981-1983.
For details of the trial, please read:
Vietnamese activist sentenced to 8 years in jail for Facebook posts, RFA, May 12
Vietnam activist sentenced to 8 years in prison for ‘spreading anti-government propaganda’, Jurist, May 12
Bang is among leading human rights defenders and democracy campaigners in Vietnam. He has been the third activist convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” so far this year. In March and April, Nguyen Lan Thang and Truong Van Dung both were sentenced to six years in prison.
Meanwhile, jailed activist Bui Tuan Lam (Peter Lam Bui) was permitted this week to meet his wife and three children for the first time since his detention in August last year on the allegation of conducting anti-state propaganda” under Clause 1, Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
He was also allowed to meet his lawyers Le Dinh Viet and Ngo Anh Tuan to prepare for his defense in his first-instance hearing which was scheduled on May 25. He is facing imprisonment of between five years and 12 years if convicted.
Ms. Nguy Thi Khanh, who was sentenced to 21 months on allegation of tax evasion last year, was released after 16 months of her detention.
The environmental activist was honored with the prestigious award Goldman for her activities which aim to promote green energy instead of energy produced by thermal coal-fueled plants in Vietnam.