Nguyen Van Cong Em
Current Status: Released - at risk
Other Names: Nguyễn Văn Công Em
Date of Birth: 1971
Gender: M
Ethnicity: Kinh
Areas of Activism:
- Freedom of expression
Highlighted Human Rights Concerns:
- Former Political Prisoner
- Online commentator
March 2023:
Nguyen Van Cong Em was released 11 months early from prison. He was serving a five-year sentence for disseminating “anti-state propaganda.” The authorities have not given any official reason for why he was released early. He declined an interview with RFA after his release. We are attempting to contact him for more information.
September 2019:
On September 17, the People’s Court of Ben Tre Province sentenced activist Nguyen Van Cong Em, a 48-year-old resident of My Thanh Commune, Giong Tom District, to five years in jail and five years of probation. He was charged with “making, storing, spreading, or propagating information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code, accused of using different Facebook accounts to post, share articles, and conduct live-streams with content distorting the policies of State and Party.
Details - Background, History of Activism.
Nguyen Van Cong Em lives in Giong Trom District, Ben Tre Province.
Profile photo source: Cong An Nhan Dan Newspaper
Em was said to call for a demonstration on the occasion of North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit on February 27-28, 2019.
Bến Tre: Bắt giữ đối tượng tuyên truyền chống phá Nhà nước, Bao Moi Newspaper, March 02, 2019
Arrested February 28, 2019. Sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years probation under Art. 117 (2015 Code). Released March 26, 2023.
February 28, 2019
- Art. 117 (2015 Code)
Ben Tre province public security, Ben Tre province
Cho hamlet, My Thanh commune, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province (map)
September 17, 2019
The People's Court of Ben Tre Province
5 years in prison and 5 years probation
February 28, 2024
March 26, 2023
- freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention
- liberty and security of the person
- freedom of expression
- freedom of peaceful assembly
- fair trial
On February 28, 2019, Nguyen Van Cong Em was arrested by the Investigation Agency of Ben Tre Province public security. Security forces also searched his house, confiscated his items, documents and looked into his electronic data that was alleged to include content “against the State.”
He was said to use four different Facebook accounts to post, share articles, and live-stream videos with content distorting the State and party’s policies. He was also accused of inciting and calling for a demonstration during the North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit on February 27-28, 2019.
September 2019:
On September 17, the People’s Court of Ben Tre Province sentenced Nguyen Van Cong Em to five years in jail and five years of probation. He was charged with “making, storing, spreading, or propagating information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code, accused of using different Facebook accounts to post, share articles, and conduct live-streams with content distorting the policies of State and Party.
Dùng Facebook xuyên tạc Hội nghị thượng đỉnh Mỹ - Triều, một người bị bắt khẩn cấp, Thanh Nien Newspaper, March 2, 2019
Bến Tre: Bắt giữ đối tượng tuyên truyền chống phá Nhà nước, Bao Moi Newspaper, March 2, 2019
Second Activist Convicted in September for Facebook Postings: Nguyen Van Cong Em Sentenced to Five Years in Prison under Article 117, The 88 Project, September 20, 2019
Vietnam releases 2 prisoners of conscience before jail terms end, RFA, March 30, 2023
Profile last updated: 2023-04-07 19:31:39