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44human rights violations and giving interviews to overseas Vietnameselanguagemedia.]*NGUYEN Van Khuong: (pen name Hoang Khuong)D.O.B.: 1989. Journalist for the daily newspaper Tuoi Tre (http://tuoitre.vn), was reportedly arrested on 2 January 2012 in Ho Chi Minh City.Thought to be arrested following articles published in Tuoi Tre exposingalleged police corruption. In 2011 Nguyen worked in an undercoverinvestigation on traffic police corruption in Binh Thanh District. On 3December 2011, Nguyen was suspended from the daily, allegedly afterpressure from the authorities. Nguyen is currently held at the PublicSecurity police Cong An detention camp, Phan Dang Luu street, Ho ChiMinh City, Vietnam. He denies the charges. Remains detained pendingtrial as of 30 June 2012.PHAN Thanh Hai: (aka Anh Ba Sai Gon)D.o.b: 1969. Profession: Lawyer, independent journalist and blogger.Date of arrest: 18 October 2010. Details of arrest: Reportedly arrestedby Public security police at his residence without any charges being madeknown. Thought to be held for posting ‘false information’ on his blog,in which he writes about Vietnam’s territorial disputes with China andthe issue of bauxite mining. He has also expressed his support for otherVietnamese dissidents. His wife claims he is facing a possible four-monthjail sentence for ‘propaganda against the state’ under article 88 of thePenal Code. Other information: Phan Thanh Hai was known as an activemember of the Free Journalist Network in Vietnam (Cau Lac Bo Nha BaoTu Do) since 2007. His blog http://anhbasg.multiply.com is known for itssocial and news reports about Vietnam. His blog recently was hacked anderased completely three times by professional hackers. Public Securitypolice frequently harassed and interrogated him about his blogging. Hewas intimidated and threatened during several brief detentions. Phan isa graduate from law school, but cannot practice his profession becausehis application has been denied by the Ho Chi Minh Bar Associationbecause of his blogging and activism. Details of the trial: In early April2012, it was reported that Phan Tranh Hai, together with Nguyen VanHay (blogger Dieu Cay) and Ta Phong Tan, were accused for postings onthe website Free Journalists Club co-founded by them. The first hearingof the trial was due for 15 May 2012, but was suspended. The threebloggers face up to twenty years in prison, if found guilty under Article88 of the Vietnamese Criminal Code for ‘Conducting propaganda againstthe state’. Place of detention: Public security police detention centre atHo Chi Minh city. He remains in detention as of 30 June 2012. Otherinformation: Recipient of the 2011 Hellman/Hammett award.Paulus Le Van SON: D.O.B.: 1985. Blogger and Christian activist, wasarrested in Hanoi on 3 August 2011. He has reportedly been chargedunder article 79 of the Vietnamese Criminal Code for trying to overthrowthe government, and is held by the Public Security Police in Cong AnDetention Camp B14, in Hanoi. Son writes for his blog paulusleson.worldpress.com/ and contributes to the collective blog Baokhongle andVietnam Redemptorist News. Previously, Son signed a petition for therelease of the activist Cu Huy Ha Vu (see above), and covered his trial inApril 2011. Remains detained pending trial as of 30 June 2012.TA Phong Tan (f): (Aka Cong Ly Va Tu Su), is a blogger for Conglysuthat(Justice & Truth), jurist and former police officer. Co-founding memberof the banned Free Journalsit Club in Vietnam. She was arrested on 5September 2011, reportedly for her critical postings about the detentionof blogger Paulus Le Van Son (see above). Ta is currently being held atpublic security police Cong An detention camp, Phan Dang Luu street,Ho Chi Minh City. Ta is a popular blogger among dissidents in Vietnam;she has written articles about corruption, abuse of power, confiscationof land, among other issues. Her articles have been published in manymainstream media outlets in Vietnam, including Tuoi Tre (Youth), NguoiLao Dong (Laborer), Vietnam Net, and the Vietnamese Service of theBBC. She is also a member of the Free Journalist Club in Vietnam, anda recipient of the 2011 Hellman/Hammett Award. Remains detainedas of 30 June 2012, WiPC seeking further details about any chargesagainst her. [Due to stand trial with bloggers Nguyen Van Hai andPhan Thanh Hai (see ‘main case’ above) on 7 August 2012 on chargesof ‘conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam’under Article 88 of the Criminal code. On 30 July 2012 her mother diedafter self-immolating outside government buildings following months ofharassment from Public Security officials.]VO Minh Tri (aka Minh Tri and Viêt Khang)D.o.b.: 19 January 1978 Profession: Songwriter and performer. Date ofarrest: 23 December 2011 Details of arrest: Reportedly arrested on 16September 2011 and held for a week. Rearrested in December 2011 at hishome, by public security police for allegedly ’Conducting propagandaagainst the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’. His computer and recordingequipment were seized by the police. Remains detained pending trialas of 30 June 2012. Other information: In April 2011 Vo and otheryoung professionals, students and activists founded the organisation TuoiTre Yeu Nuoc (Young Patriots), a human rights defenders’ group. Vo’slyrics and writings have been published in the group’s websites www.tuoitreyeunuoc.com and www.tuoitreyeunuoc.net. The group advocatesfor respect for issues including human rights and democratic reforms.With that spirit, Vo’s songs Who are you?, Where is my Viet Nam? and TheMother in the Mekong Delta, among others, quickly spread on internetsites. Place of detention: Trai tam giam Cong an (Public security police’stemporary detention camp), 4 duong Phan Dang Luu (street), Phuong14 (ward), quan Binh Thanh (district), Ho Chi Minh City. Treatment inprison: Held in solitary confinement.ReleasedLE Thang Long: Businessman and Internet writer, the founder of thewebsite Improving and Promoting Vietnam. Arrested on 4 June 2009 andsentenced to three and a half years in prison and three years of probationarydetention. Le was tried and sentenced on 17 January 2010, for ‘carryingout activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration’. Said tobe charged for his dissident writings and activities. His initial sentenceof five years was reduced by the Appeal People’s Court of Ho Chi MinhCity. On 4 June 2012 Le Thang Long was released from prison, sixmonths before the expiry of his sentence. The reason for his early releaseremains unknown. Le has been placed under probationary detention forthree years.Case closedTRAN Quoc Hien : Internet writer and human rights lawyer, arrestedon 12 January 2007 and sentenced to five years in prison. He wascharged with ‘spreading anti-government propaganda’ on the Internetand ‘endangering state security’. Tran Quoc Hien is known for hiscritical writings published on the Internet, including a short story ‘TheTail’ about the experience of life under surveillance. He is a member ofthe pro-democracy movement ’Bloc 8406’. He is also a human rightslawyer, known for his work defending farmers whose land has beenconfiscated by local authorities. On 12 January 2012, Tran was released