Voices of Conscience

Vietnam’s Voices of Conscience

These Vietnamese men and women come from a cross section of backgrounds, professions and political views. Often times suffering in silence under the regime’s repressive policies, they are all part of a larger network of activists striving to change the country for the better. They share a common struggle for freedom and democracy. For as true patriots, human rights defenders and courageous, peaceful social activists, they are Vietnam’s Voices of Conscience. Herein are biographies of some of the most prominent individuals. Viet Tan strives to regularly update this document.

Every individual profiled has made his or her views publicly known. International support, therefore, is not only desirable, but also the best guarantor for the safety of these brave individuals.

Suggested actions:

1) Raise with the Hanoi government the specific cases of individuals in jail, under house arrest, or otherwise persecuted.

2) Write to these individuals. Even if the letter is intercepted by authorities, at least the jailers will know that the person being persecuted is not anonymous.

3) Visit these individuals. Many of the individuals profiled have not even been charged with a crime. A visit to an activist in jail or under house arrest by a parliamentarian, journalist, or friend would represent an important show of support and opportunity to hear first-hand the status of human rights in Vietnam.

Compiled by Viet Tan - January 2009

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Do Nam Hai

(Democracy activist) - A recipient of the 2007 Hellman Hammett Human Rights Award, Do Nam Hai is one of the principal organizers of Bloc 8406, having co-authored the “Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam.” Since October 2006, authorities have constantly subjected him to interrogation sessions, confined him to (...) (1/12/2008)


Doan Huy Chuong

(Labor rights activist) - One of the founding members of the United Workers-Farmers Organization (UWFO), Doan Huy Chuong was arrested for trying to establish an organization to promote worker and farmer’s rights. Arrested in November 2006, Doan Huy Chuong was tried a year later and sentenced to 18 months in (...) (30/11/2008)


Huynh Nguyen Dao

(Democracy activist) - A former journalist, Huynh Nguyen Dao was arrested on August 15, 2006 with 3 other leaders (American citizen Do Thanh Cong, Nguyen Bac Truyen and Le Nguyen Sang) of the People’s Democratic Party. For distributing pamphlets and posting political documents online, the government charged him with (...) (28/11/2008)


Le Nguyen Sang

(Democracy activist) - A medical doctor, Le Nguyen Sang was arrested on August 15, 2006 with 3 other leaders (American citizen Do Thanh Cong, Nguyen Bac Truyen and Huynh Nguyen Dao) of the People’s Democratic Party. He was accused of committing acts of ‘terrorism’ for publishing articles ‘hostile to the regime’ on the (...) (27/11/2008)


Le Quoc Quan

(Human rights lawyer) - Arrested on March 8, 2007, four days after returning from his six-month fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington DC, Le Quoc Quan was detained at detention camp B14 in Hanoi for three months. He was released on June 16, 2007 under international pressure. He was charged (...) (26/11/2008)


Le Thi Cong Nhan

(Human rights lawyer, democracy activist) - Having organized seminars for students on international human rights law, Le Thi Cong Nhan is an outspoken advocate and supporter of multiparty democracy. A founding member and spokesperson for the Vietnam Progression Party, Le Thi Cong Nhan was arrested in March 2007 when fifteen security (...) (25/11/2008)


Le Thi Kim Thu

(Democracy activist) - A member of Bloc 8406, Le Thi Kim Thu is a fervent advocate against the regime’s unjust expropriation of farmlands for commercial use. Having witnessed the confiscation of her family’s land by communist officials, Kim Thu began to organize aggrieved peasants to petition the government for (...) (24/11/2008)


Le Thi Le Hang

(Freelance journalist) - On March 30, 2007, along with Father Nguyen Van Ly and three other pro-democracy activists, teacher Le Thi Le Hang was tried on broadcasted show trials. She was a contributor to the unsanctioned newspaper Tu Do Ngon Luan (Freedom of Speech) and a member of the Vietnam Progression (...) (23/11/2008)


Luong Van Sinh

(Land rights activist) - Luong Van Sinh participated in farmer protests against corruption and government land grabs, including the 27 day protest in Saigon in summer 2007. He also helped publicize these protests, giving radio interviews and distributing reports and pictures through the internet. He was often subjected (...) (21/11/2008)


Ngo Quynh

(Democracy activist) - A college student, Ngo Quynh participated in student protests supporting Vietnamese territorial sovereignty. During the Olympic torch relay on April 29, 2008, he was arrested and beaten when trying to join a peaceful demonstration in Hanoi. On June 28, 2008, after visiting democracy activist Vi (...) (20/11/2008)


Nguyen Bac Truyen

(Democracy activist) - A founding member of the People’s Democratic Party, Nguyen Bac Truyen was arrested in November 2006 in Saigon. On May 10, 2007, he was put on trial together with other members of the People’s Democratic Party, including Le Nguyen Sang and Huynh Nguyen (...) (19/11/2008)


Nguyen Binh Thanh

(Democracy activist) - A member of Bloc 8406 and the Vietnam Progression Party, Nguyen Binh Thanh was tried together with Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Phong, Le Thi Le Hang and Hoang Thi Anh Dao on March 30, 2007 for their peaceful political activities. (18/11/2008)


Nguyen Dan Que

(Democracy activist) - In 1978, arrested with 47 other activists, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que was imprisoned for 10 years without trial. During this time, he endured torture, endless beatings, and being chained in solitary confinement. For some periods of time, up to two months long, he was thrown into a five-by-six-by-four (...) (17/11/2008)


Nguyen Khac Toan

(Freelance Journalist) - A former officer in the North Vietnamese army, Nguyen Khac Toan quickly became disillusioned with the government after the fall of Saigon. Recognizing the need for real freedom, rule of law, and democracy, he has since become a freelance reporter, democracy organizer, and cyber (...) (14/11/2008)


Nguyen Kim Nhan

(Democracy activist) - Born: 1949 Activity: Democracy activist Location: Prison camp B14, huyen Thanh Liet, Thanh Tri, Ha Noi, Viet Nam Sentence: Imprisonment without trial Nguyen Kim Nhan is a leader of the aggrieved citizens of Bac Giang province (north-east Vietnam). In 2006 and 2007, he led several (...) (30/09/2009)


Nguyen Manh Son

(Democracy activist) - Born: 1943 Activity: Democracy activist Location: Prison camp B14, huyen Thanh Liet, Thanh Tri, Ha Noi, Viet Nam Sentence: Imprisonment without trial Former member of the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) and former vice-director of a construction company, Nguyen Manh Son became a (...) (30/09/2009)


Nguyen Ngoc Quang

(Internet activist) - A member of Bloc 8406 and a co-founder of the pro-democracy group called Bach Dang Giang (Bach Dang River). Along with Pham Ba Hai, Nguyen Ngoc Quang (on the right) was arrested and subjected to several interrogation sessions in June 2006 after meeting with members of Bloc (...) (14/11/2008)


Nguyen Phong

(Democracy activist) - He was a co-founder and first chairman of the Vietnam Progression Party. Tried and convicted in a show trial along with Father Nguyen Van Ly and four other dissidents, Nguyen Phong was sentenced in March 2007 for disseminating “propaganda against the (...) (13/11/2008)


Nguyen Phuong Anh

(Democracy activist) - A successful businessman, Nguyen Phuong Anh became disillusioned with social injustice under the Communist Party. He joined the Bloc 8406 and became a voice for the democracy movement. On October 30, 2007 when he went to Lang Son to visit fellow democracy activist Vi Duc Hoi, Nguyen Phuong Anh (...) (12/11/2008)


Nguyen Tien Nam

(Democracy activist) - Nguyen Tien Nam started out as a student passionate about protecting the sovereignty of Vietnam’s Spratly and Paracel islands. He participated in various student protests against China. He uses blogs to express his criticism of the Vietnamese government’s human rights violations. On April 29, (...) (11/11/2008)


Nguyen Van Dai

(Human rights lawyer) - Accused of disseminating “hostile propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, Nguyen Van Dai was arrested along with lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan on March 6, 2007 for critical writings and pro-democracy activities with the Bloc 8406 movement. Nguyen Van Dai is the founder of the Vietnam (...) (10/11/2008)


Nguyen Van Hai

(Blogger) - Under his pen name “Dieu Cay,” Nguyen Van Hai blogged about China’s encroachment on Vietnamese islands and criticized the Vietnamese government’s kowtowing to its northern neighbor. For blogging about the repression of peaceful activists and calling for a boycott of the Olympic Torch Relay, he was (...) (16/11/2008)


Nguyen Van Tinh

(Democracy activist) - Born: 1942 Activity: Democracy activist Location: Prison camp B14, huyen Thanh Liet, Thanh Tri, Ha Noi, Viet Nam Sentence: Imprisonment without trial Former teacher and manager of the Institute of Geology of Hanoi, Nguyen Van Tinh spent 7 years in prison in the 60s and 70s for (...) (30/09/2009)


Nguyen Van Tuc

(Farmer, poet, human rights activist) - Born: 1964 Activity: Farmer, poet, human rights activist Location: Prison camp B14, huyen Thanh Liet, Thanh Tri, Ha Noi, Viet Nam Sentence: Imprisonment without trial Nguyen Van Tuc is known for his many writings against social injustice, especially an August 2006 letter denouncing (...) (30/09/2009)


Nguyen Vu Binh

(Journalist) - Nguyen Vu Binh is an honorary member of PEN Canada, Sydney PEN, and Swiss PEN. He is a recipient of Human Rights Watch’s Hellman/Hammett Award and was identified by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience. Formerly a correspondent for the Journal of Communism, an official publication (...) (8/11/2008)


Nguyen Xuan Nghia

(Democracy activist, writer) - Writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia is one of the leaders of Bloc 8406. He was arrested in the night of September 11, 2008 for organizing peaceful protests against China. In the past, he has been arrested in Hanoi while preparing for a peaceful demonstration against the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay on (...) (7/11/2008)


Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang

(Human rights activist) - In November 2004 Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was sentenced to three years imprisonment for “instigating others to obstruct persons carrying out official duties” along with five other church colleagues. A lawyer and vice president of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam, Pastor Quang is a prominent (...) (15/11/2008)


Pastor Nguyen Thi Hong

(Human rights activist) - A pastor in the Mennonite Church, Nguyen Thi Hong was arrested on November 2, 2007 and is currently being detained without trial. She has not been allowed any visits from her family. Along with pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, she has advocated for religious freedom and social (...) (12/11/2008)


Pham Ba Hai

(Democracy activist) - Beginning in July 2006, Pham Ba Hai was harassed and interrogated by the Vietnamese authorities on several occasions. In August 2006, the police questioned Pham Ba Hai and Nguyen Quoc Quang for their membership in Bloc 8406. Both men recorded the entire interrogation and posted it on the (...) (6/11/2008)


Pham Hong Son

(Democracy activist) - On March 25, 2002, under the false pre-tense of a “working session” the Ministry of Public Security summoned Dr. Pham Hong Son. While he was away, his house was ransacked and his computer and many documents were confiscated. On March 27, Dr. Pham Hong Son wrote a letter protesting this treatment. (...) (5/11/2008)


Pham Thanh Nghien

(Democracy activist) - In Spring 2008, Pham Thanh Nghien was along with several other activists arrested in Hanoi while peacefully protesting the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. She was detained for several days without charges. On June 17, 2008, she wrote an official request to organize a protest which was rejected by (...) (4/11/2008)


Pham Van Troi

(Human rights activist) - Since 2006, Pham Van Troi has been repeatedly summoned by the police and harassed for his human rights activism and association with human rights lawyers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan. On June 28, 2008 Pham Van Troi was subjected to public denunciation by an organized group of 300 (...) (3/11/2008)


Reverend Hong Trung

(Human rights activist) - Rev. Hong Trung has been detained several times for religious and human rights activities. Most of Rev. Hong Trung’s family members have been harassed and often ordered to report to local police without specific reasons. A member of the Vietnam Populist Party, he was arrested during the Lunar (...) (29/11/2008)


Reverend Nguyen Van Ly

(Democracy activist) - Father Ly has spent 15 years in prison for the causes of democracy and human rights in Vietnam. Initially arrested in September 1977 and sentenced to 20 years in a labour camp near Hue, he was later released but prohibited from engaging in religious activities. Arrested again in January 1983 (...) (9/11/2008)


Reverend Phan Van Loi

(Catholic Priest) - Reverend Loi has a long history of peaceful activism for democracy. In September 1981, Father Loi was sentenced to four years in jail for writing a play about the government’s harassment of Father Nguyen Van Ly. While Father Loi was in prison, the authorities discovered that he had been a (...) (2/11/2008)


Somsak Khunmi

(Radio New Horizon) - A Thai resident, Somsak Khunmi, also known as Nguyen Quoc Hai, has been a contributor to Radio New Horizon since 1993. In November 2007, he travelled to Vietnam to assist journalist Nguyen Thi Thanh Van in reporting on farmer protests. Along with six other Viet Tan members and supporters, he (...) (1/11/2008)


The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do

(Supreme Patriarch Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam) - The Venerable Thich Quang Do is patriarch of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UB CV). Suffering over 30 years of intermittent arbitrary house arrest and imprisonment, the Venerable Thich Quang Do has faced torture, interrogation sessions, and denied the right to travel. In 1992, he (...) (31/10/2008)


Tran Khai Thanh Thuy

(Novelist, blogger, democracy activist) - A prolific novelist and journalist, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy is a recipient of Human Rights Watch’s Hellman/Hammett Award and an Honorary Member of English PEN. A member of Bloc 8406, she is also an editor of the underground magazine To Quoc (...) (30/10/2008)


Tran Quoc Hien

(Human rights lawyer) - Two days after Tran Quoc Hien was chosen as the spokesperson for the United Workers-Farmers Organization in January 2007, he was arrested. A human rights lawyer known for defending farmers whose land have been confiscated by the government, Tran Quoc Hien is also a prolific (...) (29/10/2008)


Tran Thi Thuy Trang

(Labor rights lawyer) - Tran Thi Thuy Trang was arrested in March 2007 for her association with attorney Le Quoc Quan and detained without official charges for six months at a detention center in Saigon. She was released in September 2007, but remains under constant police surveillance. She was never officially tried (...) (28/10/2008)


Trinh Quoc Thao

(Democracy activist) - A member of the Vietnamese Political and Religious Prisoners Friendship Association (VPRPFA), Trinh Quoc Thao was arrested on March 3, 2007 with fellow activists Nguyen Van Ngoc and Truong Minh Nguyet for allegedly distributing “reactionary propaganda documents” in violation of article 258 of the (...) (27/10/2008)


Truong Minh Duc

(Freelance journalist) - A member of Bloc 8406 and a freelance journalist, Truong Minh Duc was arrested on May 5, 2007 for advising and helping farmers file complaints against local authorities’ unauthorized seizure of their lands and properties. A dedicated anti-corruption activist, he has authored many articles and (...) (26/10/2008)


Truong Minh Nguyet

(Democracy activist) - Truong Minh Nguyet is the deputy leader of the Vietnamese Political and Religious Prisoners Friendship Association (VPRPFA). After 16 years in prison, Truong Minh Nguyet continued to be harassed and economically isolated. He was not been able to find a job because of interference and (...) (25/10/2008)


Truong Quoc Huy

(Internet activist) - A mobile-phone repairman, Truong Quoc Huy began voicing his opinions about corruption and democracy in online forums in 2005. Previously arrested at his home in Saigon on October 19, 2005 with his two brothers and a female friend, the group had been taking part in a chat room discussion about (...) (24/10/2008)


Vi Duc Hoi

(Democracy activist) - A former member of the Communist Party, Vi Duc Hoi became disenchanted with party polices and joined the democracy movement in 2007. Leaving behind executive positions in the local government, Vi Duc Hoi wrote essays on democracy and pluralism under the pen name Hai (...) (23/10/2008)


Vu Hoang Hai

(Internet activist) - A member of Bloc 8406 and a co-founder of the pro-democracy group called Bach Dang Giang (Bach Dang River), Vu Hoang Hai experienced the same persecution as Pham Ba Hai and Nguyen Ngoc Quang. He was arrested on September 5, 2006 for his involvement with Bloc 8406 and for distributing materials (...) (22/10/2008)


Vu Hung

(Democracy activist) - An elementary school teacher in Ha Tay, Vu Hung was arrested on April 18, 2007 for distributing literature on democracy and detained for nine days. Following the arrest he received several warnings and harassment from his employer. On April 29, 2008, he traveled to Hanoi to participate in a (...) (21/10/2008)


Vu Thanh Phuong

(Land rights activist) - Vu Thanh Phuong, a farmer, has suffered many years under oppression. After April 1975, The Vietnamese Communist authorities seized her family’s property under accusations that her father, Vu Van Manh, was a CIA collaborator. Vu Thanh Phuong and her family tried in vain for 30 years to reclaim (...) (20/10/2008)