Vietnam’s security forces likely launch a new wave of suppression against local activists as newly-appointed police officers in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities strive to get credits prior to the National Congress of the ruling communist party slated in January next year.
This week, while the communist nation is preparing to hold a large-scale military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the regime, security forces in HCM City have arbitrarily detained a number of activists, who have been advocating for civil rights, multi-party democracy as well as voicing to environmental issues for more a decade ago.
Mr. Ho Sy Quyet (aka Quyet Ho) is a well-known human rights defender in Hanoi. He started his activism in early 2010s by taking part in peaceful demonstrations against China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea) as well as protesting the Taiwanese Formosa Steel Plant in the central province of Ha Tinh which discharged industrial waste into Vietnam’s water which caused catastrophic disaster in the central coast in 2016. He also took part in a number of projects which aim to protect the environment and support people in remote areas.
Last week, Quyet went to HCM City on business with former prisoner of conscience Tran Huynh Duy Thuc. On the evening of August 28, during a short phone call with his wife, he told her that he was in a police station, and hung up. Since then, his wife has tried to contact him by phone but failed.
Mr. Thuc, who spent nearly 16 years in prison on allegation of subversion and was released September last year, reportedly went to the HCM City Police Department to request his release but the authorities said he is not authorized for the matter.
So far, Quyet’s family has not been informed about his whereabouts by the police forces.
Several activists are also in the same situation. Mr. Tran Quang Nam, a member of the Liberal Publishing House established by prominent human rights defender Pham Doan Trang, and his friend Nguyen Tuan Nghia were also reportedly detained by the security forces in Thursday’s evening. A common friend of them saw police officers chasing both activists and he could not call them right after he left the scene.
Both are said to have been focusing on their own business after severe persecution against political dissidents a decade ago.
So far, the Ministry of Public Security and the HCM City Police Department have not released information about the detentions of the three activists.
Last month, Lieutenant General Mai Hoang, a close subordinate of former Minister of Public Security and incumbent General Secretary To Lam, was promoted to head the police forces in HCM City, the largest economic hub located in Vietnam’s southern region. The detentions of the three activists may be a part of actions of Gen. Mai Hoang and other senior police officers of the ministry in order to get credit amid fierce competition in the country’s leadership and the police forces.
According to Vietnam’s law, police can detain a person for a maximum of nine days, after that, they have to issue an arrest warrant with an official criminal charge, or to release the detainee.
Vietnam’s communist regime often uses controversial allegations of subversion in Article 109, “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117, or “abusing democratic freedom” per Article 331 of the Criminal Code. The UN Human Rights Committee, many foreign governments such as Germany, the UK, France have urged Hanoi to remove these articles which are in conflict with the human rights treaties Vietnam have signed and ratified.
According to Defend the Defenders’ statistics, Vietnam holds at least 265 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it imprisons only law violators.
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August 31, 2025
New suppression wave against activists in Vietnam as senior police officers want credits prior to party’s National Congress?
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights]
Mr. Ho Sy Quyet (Facebook Quyet Ho)
Defend the Defenders, August 31, 2025
Vietnam’s security forces likely launch a new wave of suppression against local activists as newly-appointed police officers in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities strive to get credits prior to the National Congress of the ruling communist party slated in January next year.
This week, while the communist nation is preparing to hold a large-scale military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the regime, security forces in HCM City have arbitrarily detained a number of activists, who have been advocating for civil rights, multi-party democracy as well as voicing to environmental issues for more a decade ago.
Mr. Ho Sy Quyet (aka Quyet Ho) is a well-known human rights defender in Hanoi. He started his activism in early 2010s by taking part in peaceful demonstrations against China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea) as well as protesting the Taiwanese Formosa Steel Plant in the central province of Ha Tinh which discharged industrial waste into Vietnam’s water which caused catastrophic disaster in the central coast in 2016. He also took part in a number of projects which aim to protect the environment and support people in remote areas.
Last week, Quyet went to HCM City on business with former prisoner of conscience Tran Huynh Duy Thuc. On the evening of August 28, during a short phone call with his wife, he told her that he was in a police station, and hung up. Since then, his wife has tried to contact him by phone but failed.
Mr. Thuc, who spent nearly 16 years in prison on allegation of subversion and was released September last year, reportedly went to the HCM City Police Department to request his release but the authorities said he is not authorized for the matter.
So far, Quyet’s family has not been informed about his whereabouts by the police forces.
Several activists are also in the same situation. Mr. Tran Quang Nam, a member of the Liberal Publishing House established by prominent human rights defender Pham Doan Trang, and his friend Nguyen Tuan Nghia were also reportedly detained by the security forces in Thursday’s evening. A common friend of them saw police officers chasing both activists and he could not call them right after he left the scene.
Both are said to have been focusing on their own business after severe persecution against political dissidents a decade ago.
So far, the Ministry of Public Security and the HCM City Police Department have not released information about the detentions of the three activists.
Last month, Lieutenant General Mai Hoang, a close subordinate of former Minister of Public Security and incumbent General Secretary To Lam, was promoted to head the police forces in HCM City, the largest economic hub located in Vietnam’s southern region. The detentions of the three activists may be a part of actions of Gen. Mai Hoang and other senior police officers of the ministry in order to get credit amid fierce competition in the country’s leadership and the police forces.
According to Vietnam’s law, police can detain a person for a maximum of nine days, after that, they have to issue an arrest warrant with an official criminal charge, or to release the detainee.
Vietnam’s communist regime often uses controversial allegations of subversion in Article 109, “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117, or “abusing democratic freedom” per Article 331 of the Criminal Code. The UN Human Rights Committee, many foreign governments such as Germany, the UK, France have urged Hanoi to remove these articles which are in conflict with the human rights treaties Vietnam have signed and ratified.
According to Defend the Defenders’ statistics, Vietnam holds at least 265 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it imprisons only law violators.