The Vietnam Human Rights Network announced that three imprisoned activists—Phan Tat Thanh, Nguyen Chi Tuyen, and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh—will receive the 2025 Vietnam Human Rights Award for their efforts to advance human rights in Vietnam. The award, established in 2002, recognizes individuals and organizations with outstanding achievements in defending the rights of the Vietnamese people.
Phan Tat Thanh, 39, administered the Facebook page Nhat Ky Yeu Nuoc (Patriotic Diary), which had over 200,000 members and addressed human rights violations, environmental pollution, corruption, and China's territorial encroachment. He was arrested on July 13, 2023, on charges of propaganda against the State, and sentenced to eight years in prison plus three years of probation on May 8, 2024. During his trial, Thanh refused to plead guilty, asserting his actions aligned with the Vietnamese Constitution and United Nations human rights conventions. He rejected an appeal, citing distrust in the judicial system. He is detained at Xuan Loc Prison in Dong Nai Province.
Nguyen Chi Tuyen, 51, co-founded the "No U" group in 2007, which opposes China's expansionist claims in the East Sea. Active on social media, he defended persecuted activists and criticized the government on social, environmental, and economic issues. He was arrested on February 29, 2024, and sentenced to five years in prison for propaganda against the State on August 15, 2024. Tuyen stated before his trial, "I can absolutely choose my own safety if I ignore the country's problems. But as a citizen, I cannot help but be responsible for my country." He is held at Prison No. 6 in Nghe An Province.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh, 49, a former math teacher, founded the Constitution Group in 2018 to promote constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and assembly. The group used social media to discuss official violations of the Constitution and participated in protests against the Law on Special Economic Zones and the Law on Cyber Security. Hanh was abducted by police on September 3, 2018, held in solitary confinement, and tortured. On July 31, 2020, she was sentenced to eight years in prison for disruption of security, the highest among eight defendants. She is detained at An Phuoc Prison in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Vietnam Human Rights Network, which advocates for human rights based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, has awarded 63 individuals and six organizations since its inception. The 2025 award ceremony will be held on December 7 in Montreal, Canada, in cooperation with the Vietnamese Community of Montreal. For more information, visit https://www.vietnamhumanrights.net.
