Nguyen Dang Vu
Nguyen Dang Vu is a human rights defender who regularly posts articles on Facebook denouncing human rights violations by the Vietnamese authorities and calling for multi-party democracy in the country. He also advocates for the rights of the poorest and against child abuse. Nguyen Dang Vu took part in several peaceful demonstrations on environmental rights. He was arrested while protesting in Ho Chi Minh City against the consequences of the Formosa spill disaster in April 2016, and was also beaten by thugs twice in 2016, in attacks considered to be linked to his activism.
Vietnamese authorities treat human rights defenders as “enemies of the State”. In Vietnam, there is no independent, privately-run media – domestic newspapers, television and radio stations are strictly controlled by the state. Internet communication is also strictly controlled and restricted. HRDs working for accountability and democracy receive accusations of being “foreign spies or agents”, “traitors”, or “violators of public order and peace”.
