Vietnam: UPDATE – Human Rights Defender Ms Pham Thanh Nghien has been sentenced to four years in prison for spreading propaganda against the state
Human rights defender Ms Pham Thanh Nghien has been sentenced to four years in prison followed by three years under house arrest, having been found guilty of spreading propaganda against the state. The trial was closed to Western media and diplomats who have previously been allowed to watch such proceedings on closed-circuit at the courthouse, despite the fact that European Union diplomats had requested permission to attend and observe the trial. Pham Thanh Nghien has been held in prison since she was arrested on 18 September 2008 for attempting to stage a peaceful protest.
Further Information
Pham Thanh Nghien is a member of Bloc 8406, a pro-democracy network of human rights defenders and organisations. She has been a vocal critic of the authorities in Vietnam, publishing several essays online and appearing frequently on Radio Free Asia to criticise government violations of human rights. She also promoted civil engagement in issues such as human rights, territorial sovereignty, and corruption. Pham Thanh Nghien was the 2009 recipient of the Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award.