Past Cases

Background

Nguyễn Văn Hải, better known by his pen name “Dieu Cay,” (b. 1952) is a renowned blogger, journalist, and democracy activist in Vietnam. He is known for his internet postings calling for greater democracy and human rights in Vietnam and his participation in protests against Chinese foreign policy. He was a founding member of the Free Journalist Club (Cau Lac Bo Nha Bao Tu Do) in Vietnam in 2006. 

Dieu Cay was sentenced on September 10, 2008 to two and a half years-imprisonment,, reportedly for ‘tax fraud’, after he participated in protests against the police in Ho Chi Minh City, earlier that year. He is widely believed to have been targeted for his criticism of Vietnamese government policy, and there are reports that he had been closely watched by the police and threatened with death prior to his arrest. 

On October 20, 2010, he should have been released upon completion of his sentence. Instead, Nguyễn was transferred to a Public Security detention camp in Ho Chi Minh City, and held on different charges: conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’. The charges were for his online writings on his own blog as well as for the banned website Free Journalist Club (Câu lạc bộ nhà báo tự do), which he co-founded. During his pre-trial detention, he was held incommunicado, without access to family visits, letters or medical and food supplies. 

On September 24, 2012, Nguyễn was convicted of those charges under Article 88-1(c) of the Criminal Code. He pleaded not guilty. Nguyễn was tried together with bloggers Phan Thanh Hải and Tạ Phong Tần. The trial against the three bloggers had been repeatedly postponed, and did not comply with international fair trial standards. Dieu Cay’s family and supporters were prevented from entering the court on the day he was sentenced. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years of house arrest. 

While in prison, Nguyen started a hunger strike in response to the prison authorities’ attempt to force him to sign documents confessing guilt to the charges for which he was convicted. On July 27, 2013, Nguyen ended a five-week hunger strike after judicial authorities agreed to investigate his complaint over abusive treatment in prison. 

On October 21, 2014, Nguyễn Văn Hải was unexpectedly released from prison and taken directly to Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, where he was put on a plane bound for the United States. His family were only informed of his release from prison once his plane had departed. 

Dieu Cay received PEN Canada’s One Humanity Award in 2013.