Pham Minh Hoang faces deportation
On 24 June 2017, human rights defender Pham Minh Hoang was forced to board a flight to Paris, France after Vietnamese authorities expelled him from the country. The defender, who had dual French and Vietnamese citizenship, was stripped of his Vietnamese nationality on 17 May and subsequently arrested at his home in Ho Chi Minh City on 23 June 2017. He had acquired French citizenship while studying and working there for 28 years before returning to Vietnam in 2000.
Pham Minh Hoang is a human rights defender, university professor, blogger and a member of the pro-democracy organization, Viet Tan. Under the pen name, Phan Kien Quoc, Pham Minh Hoang wrote dozens of commentaries on issues such as human rights, the environment, and corruption. In 2011, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Article 79 of the Criminal Code, on false charges of attempting to overthrow the government, but was released after 17 months and ordered to serve three years’ house arrest. Since his release in 2012, Hoang has conducted trainings for youth regarding human rights and Vietnamese law.
On 24 June 2017, human rights defender Pham Minh Hoang was forced to board a flight to Paris, France after Vietnamese authorities expelled him from the country. The defender, who had dual French and Vietnamese citizenship, was stripped of his Vietnamese nationality on 17 May and subsequently arrested at his home in Ho Chi Minh City on 23 June 2017. He had acquired French citizenship while studying and working there for 28 years before returning to Vietnam in 2000.
Pham Minh Hoang is a human rights defender, university professor, blogger and a member of the pro-democracy organization, Viet Tan. Under the pen name, Phan Kien Quoc, Pham Minh Hoang has written dozens of commentaries on issues such as human rights, the environment, and corruption. In 2011, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Article 79 of the Criminal Code, on false charges of attempting to overthrow the government, but was released after 17 months and ordered to serve three years’ house arrest. Following his release in 2012, the human rights defender conducted trainings for youth regarding human rights and Vietnamese law.
On 24 June 2017, Vietnamese authorities put Pham Minh Hoang on a plane to France departing from Tan Son Nhat airport after he was arrested at his home the previous day. He landed in Paris in the morning of 25 June 2017, leaving behind his family.
On 10 June 2017, Pham Minh Hoang was notified through an order dated 17 May 2017 and signed into effect by President Tran Dai Quang that his Vietnamese citizenship had been revoked. The human rights defender unsuccessfully attempted to appeal the decision and to remain in Vietnam, saying that he had to take care of his disabled older brother and his wife’s elderly mother.
Front Line Defenders condemns the deportation of Pham Minh Hoang and urges the Vietnamese authorities to restore his citizenship and allow him to reside and work freely in Vietnam, as it is believed that this latest act of harassment is directly related to his peaceful and legitimate work in defence of human rights in the country.
On 23 June 2017, a group of police officers came to arrest human rights defender Pham Minh Hoang in his house in Ho Chi Minh City. As a reason for the arrest, they read an official decision to deport him to France on the next day from Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City. He is currently being held in an unknown location.
Pham Minh Hoang is a human rights defender, university professor, blogger and a member of the pro-democracy organization, Viet Tan. Under the pen name, Phan Kien Quoc, Pham Minh Hoang has written dozens of commentaries on issues such as human rights, the environment, and corruption. In 2011, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Article 79 of the Criminal Code, on false charges of attempting to overthrow the government, but was released after 17 months and ordered to serve three years’ house arrest. Since his release in 2012, Hoang has conducted trainings for youth regarding human rights and Vietnamese law.
On 23 June 2017, in the early evening, Pham Minh Hoang’s house was stormed by a group of police officers who arrested him. According to his wife, who was present at the time of the arrest, the officers said he would be deported to France the next day, on 24 June 2017.
On 10 June 2017, Pham Minh Hoang was notified through an order signed into effect by President Tran Dai Quang that his Vietnamese citizenship had been revoked. The human rights defender, who had dual French-Vietnamese citizenship, declared that he had to stay in Vietnam to care for his disabled older brother and his wife’s elderly mother.
Front Line Defenders condemns the arrest of Pham Minh Hoang and urges the Vietnamese authorities to refrain from deporting him, as it is believed that this latest act of harassment is directly related to his peaceful and legitimate work in defence of human rights in Vietnam.
On 10 June 2017, French-Vietnamese human rights defender, Pham Minh Hoang, received a copy of a stamped letter from President Tran Dai Quang confirming the “removal of [his] Vietnamese citizenship”. According to the letter dated 17 May 2017, the decision was based on article 88 of the Criminal Code, which criminalises propaganda against the state, and article 91, which outlaws moving abroad with a view to opposing the government. The revocation of Pham Minh Hoang’s citizenship renders his status illegal in Vietnam and he is now at risk of deportation.
Download the Urgent Appeal (PDF)
On 10 June 2017, Pham Minh Hoang was notified through an order signed into effect by President Tran Dai Quang that his citizenship had been revoked. Since he had dual French-Vietnamese citizenship, this should lead to his eviction from Vietnam. Pham Minh Hoang plans to appeal the decision and declared he had to stay in Vietnam to care for his disabled older brother and his wife’s elderly mother.
Front Line Defenders expresses concern at this recent act of harassment against Pham Minh Hoang, which it believes to be directly related to his peaceful and legitimate work in the defence of human rights in Vietnam.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Vietnam to:
1. Immediately reverse their decision to revoke Pham Minh Hoang’s Vietnamese citizenship;
2. Cease targeting all human rights defenders in Vietnam and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
