December 11, 2024
The human rights organization “Project 88” has accessed the verdict of the Duong Van Thai case from a reliable source. This verdict revealed that a total of 7 other people, and 5 of them are Party or State officials, were also sentenced to prison. And in this case, at least 60 people have been criminally investigated.
Blogger Duong Van Thai
In a closed trial on October 30, 2024, blogger Duong Van Thai was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime of “making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents, and items aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
The case against Thai has attracted international attention because it is believed he was abducted in broad daylight just north of Bangkok on April 13, 2023, and taken to Vietnam.
Because many state officials are involved, Hanoi has provided little information about the case. The authorities have not made public the investigation results, indictments and full sentences. They have also not provided details about what Thai or his co-defendants did or why they were tried behind closed doors.
Thai’s case has embarrassed the Vietnamese government. Apart from Thai, five of the seven convicted are former state officials who are disaffected by the regime and are well aware of the widespread corruption, abuse of power and bribery in Vietnam. Revealing details of the case would reflect badly on the Vietnamese government in its anti-corruption campaign. Moreover, closed trials are all too common in Vietnam for political charges.
The organization “Project 88” published the summary of this verdict so that the public can learn more about the criminal prosecution of Thai and his accomplices who are alleged to have assisted him.
Summary of the case
Thai (aka Thai Van Duong), along with seven others prosecuted in the same case, were convicted under Article 117 of the Criminal Code.
According to the verdict, Thai, now 42 years old, began writing about Vietnamese politics in 2018 and his actions were deemed to have “defamed the reputation and honor of the Party and State leaders” (page 6 of the verdict). After being summoned for questioning by the police in February 2019, Thai fled to Bangkok, Thailand. While living in Bangkok, he created two YouTube accounts, Thai Van Duong and Thai Dong Anh, to post articles criticizing the government. He also created and managed the Facebook group Thai and Friends and the Telegram group Duong Van Thai Channel, where he shared videos and articles.
During the investigation, the Ministry of Public Security examined 35 videos and 2 articles on Thai’s YouTube channels and concluded that they “contained distorted, fabricated content, defamed the people’s government, caused confusion among the people, and offended the honor and prestige of leaders of the Party, State, and authorities at all levels” (page 7 of the verdict).
According to the verdict, the 35 videos and 2 articles involved in the case criticized the corruption and bribery of high-ranking officials in Vietnam and disseminated confidential information about the country’s economic, political, and social situation. The Security Investigation Agency concluded that Thai’s purpose in posting the videos was to ‘oppose the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ (page 12 of the verdict). The videos included:
Videos about the corruption of then Minister of Public Security To Lam, who is now General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Videos about the fraud of Viet A Company. The company is affiliated with former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and was found to be involved in a corruption scandal in which people were forced to buy that company’s Covid test kits.
Videos questioning the government’s collusion with SCB bank to steal customers’ money.
A video commentary on the National Assembly’s announcement that Vietnam’s treasury is empty.
A video sharing Thai’s analysis on the revised Land Law that predicted that the law would lead to more oppression.
A video on the background of former president Vo Van Thuong.
A video that shared rumors that certain CEOs of large corporations in Vietnam were banned from entering and leaving the country.
A video alleging the Communist Party of Vietnam of engaging in religious discrimination.
A video claiming that many party members have become reactionaries.
A video accusing the leader of Bac Giang province of bribing authorities to avoid a fine of 8 million USD.
According to the data from the Ministry of Public Security’s Security Investigation Agency, the videos that Thai posted on his YouTube channels, including the above videos, have attracted more than 50 million views.
According to the verdict, the Security Investigation Agency concluded that the content of the articles and videos posted on Thai’s YouTube and Facebook channels were provided with information and documents by a number of subjects, including Party and State officials. The following is a list of 7 accomplices (5 of whom are current or retired state officials):
■ Nguyen Van Van
Nguyen Van Van is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gia Nguyen Group Joint Stock Company and a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Van was expelled from Party on June 12, 2023. On April 19, 2023 (six days after Thai was kidnapped), Van was accused of violating Article 117 and was later sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
Around the end of 2021, Van began following Thai’s YouTube channels and communicating with Thai via Facebook and Telegram. Van is accused of sending confidential information about Vietnam’s economic and political situation to Thai. This information was included in 11 of his videos. Along with exchanging and providing information and documents, Van also instructed Thai on how to write articles and edit video clips effectively to attract viewers, and advised Thai to set up an e-wallet and use cryptocurrency so that supporters could send money to Thai anonymously. According to the authorities, Van also discussed with his friend and intended to help Thai buy a Facebook account with a blue tick to post videos without having his account stolen.
■ Truong Cong Dai
Truong Cong Dai is the Head of the Environmental Protection Department, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Bac Giang province, a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He was expelled from the party on June 6, 2023 and was dismissed from office on June 29, 2023.
Dai was accused of violating Article 117 on April 19, 2023 and was later sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.
From October 2022, Dai learned about and started following Thai’s YouTube channels. According to the investigation, Dai had many dissatisfactions with his job and with the government. For this reason, around January 2023, Dai used his personal Twitter and Viber accounts to contact and get to know Thai. With information obtained from his work position and social relationships, Dai collected a lot of information and documents to provide to Thai, from which Thai edited, produced and posted 3 videos. In addition, Dai also financially supported Thai with an amount of VND8 million.
■ Nguyen Thiet Hung
Nguyen Thiet Hung is a freelance engineer. On April 19, 2023, he was charged with violating Article 117 and was later sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Around the end of 2022, Hung began following Thai’s Facebook page and YouTube channels. Hung also joined Thai’s Telegram group. Hung then used Telegram and Viber to contact Thai and provided documents and information that Thai used in 3 videos. In addition, Hung registered 5 Facebook accounts under his name and gave Thai access to those accounts. Hung shared Thai’s articles, encouraged his friends and acquaintances to follow Thai’s YouTube channels, and sent Thai VND1.2 million.
■ Nguyen Thanh Tung
Nguyen Thanh Tung is a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam and was suspended from Party activities on May 11, 2023. Like his accomplices, Tung was arrested on April 19, 2023 and charged with violating Article 117. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
In January 2023, Tung began following Thai’s YouTube channels and Facebook page. In February, Tung contacted Thai via Telegram and provided information to him. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Thai then used this information in two videos and two articles.
■ Bui Thi Khanh Phuong
Bui Thi Khanh Phuong is a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam and was removed from the list of Party members on July 7, 2023. She was arrested on April 19, 2023 and later sentenced to two and a half years in prison under Article 117.
At the end of 2022, Phuong began following Thai’s Facebook page and YouTube channels. Phuong contacted Thai via Facebook and Viber and provided Thai with insider information. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Thai’s two videos were made using information provided by her. In addition to providing information, she also instructed Thai to report more on the private lives of Party and State leaders to attract more viewers.
■ Tran Quoc Khanh
Mr. Tran Quoc Khanh is the General Director of G7 International Investment Consulting Joint Stock Company. He was arrested on April 19, 2023 and later sentenced to 2.5 years in prison under Article 117.
Around December 2022, Khanh started following Thai’s YouTube channels. In February 2023, Khanh contacted Thai via WhatsApp and provided him with information. While watching Thai’s videos, Khanh saw that Thai incorrectly quoted legal documents, Resolutions of the Party and State or failed to cite regulations, so Khanh proactively collected legal documents, Resolutions of the Party and State from official websites of the Government, National Assembly, Government Inspectorate, Central Inspection Committee… to provide to Thai. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Thai used this information in 1 video. In addition, Khanh also advised Thai on how to speak in an attractive way and sometimes helped write the video script.
■ Vu Tuan Anh
Vu Tuan Anh is the Head of the Organization-Inspection Department, Bac Giang Provincial Youth Union. Anh was forced to resign on December 25, 2023. He is also a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam and was suspended from Party activities on July 5, 2023. Anh was arrested on June 28, 2023 and later sentenced to 2.5 years in prison under Article 117.
Around the end of 2022, Anh began following Thai’s YouTube channels and Facebook page. In February 2023, Anh used Viber to contact Thai and provide him with information. According to the appraisal results of the Ministry of Information and Communications, there is a video on Thai’s YouTube channel in which Anh provided information.
In addition, the verdict also listed the names and information of at least 60 people who were summoned by the Investigation Security Agency for being related to the defendant and his accomplices but were not charged. In particular, the case worth noting is:
Renewing passport at the Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea
Duong Van Thai has a passport to study in Korea, because from 2016 to 2017, Thai studied for a Master’s degree in Land Management in Seoul, Korea. From Thailand, Thai asked a friend in Korea to renew his (expired) passport. Excerpt from the list of 60 people mentioned above:
- Nguyen Trong Bach is working illegally in Korea – pretending to be Duong Van Thai, helping Thai renew his passport at the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea. Bach is not present in Vietnam so criminal responsibility cannot be considered.
- Nguyen Thi Sen: First Secretary, Vietnamese Embassy in Korea, made a mistake in facial recognition, reviewing the passport application for Nguyen Trong Bach, who pretended to be Duong Van Thai. Because Sen did not know who Duong Van Thai was and had no motive for personal gain, she was only disciplined by the competent authority and was not held criminally responsible.
- Le Thi Le Thu: First Secretary, Head of the Consular Department, made a mistake in signing and approving the passport application for Nguyen Trong Bach, who pretended to be Duong Van Thai. Because Thu did not know who Duong Van Thai was and had no motive for personal gain, she was only disciplined by the competent authority and was not held criminally responsible.
In addition, in the list of more than 60 people summoned by the Security Investigation Agency for being related to the defendant and his accomplices, the following people are especially noteworthy:
- Doan Huy Chuong (who sought asylum in Thailand before Mr. Thai): Instructed and assisted Duong Van Thai to leave Vietnam.
- Phan Dinh Sang (living in Laos): He was accused of disclosing information and documents to Thai. Although not mentioned in this verdict, on March 11, 2024, the Investigation Security Agency of Ha Tinh Province prosecuted Phan Dinh Sang under Article 117 and he was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
- Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh: Transferred VND23 million to Thai. Hanh stated that the reason for the money transfer was for Thai to remove articles and videos about Sunshine Group and the Group’s Chairman, Do Anh Tuan. Hanh stated that Thai requested Sunshine Group to transfer money before removing the articles. However, Thai stated that Hanh initiated the money transfer, saying it was for media support costs, and Thai did not request it.
- Pham Thi Nguyen Hanh: Exchanged information with Nguyen Van Van about the position of Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee. Hanh did not know that Van would send this information to Thai. This is not a state secret, so criminal liability for Hanh will not be considered.
- Chu Thi Thuy: Exchanged and discussed with Nguyen Van Van untrue information about the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security. Thuy did not know that Van would send this information to Thai. This is not a state secret, so criminal responsibility will not be considered for Thuy.
- Nguyen Huy Hung: Nguyen Van Van’s friend, provided him with an internal document of the governing body via Zalo. Hung did not know that Van would send this information to Thai. This is not a state secret, so criminal responsibility will not be considered for Hung.
- Nguyen Minh Trang: Staff of the Bac Giang Provincial Guest House, provided information to Truong Cong Dai, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal responsibility will not be considered.
- Duong Thi Phuong Thao: Head nurse of the Pediatrics Department – Viet Duc Hospital, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal responsibility will not be considered.
- Tran The Tho: Former Head of the Inspection Planning Department of the Government Inspectorate, provided information to Nguyen Thanh Tung, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal liability was not considered.
- Tran Thi Thu Huyen: Provided information to Bui Thi Khanh Phuong, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal liability was not considered.
- Vo Khanh Hung: Director of Hatec Company Limited, provided information to Tran Quoc Khanh, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal liability was not considered.
- Nguyen Minh Thai: Chairman of the Board of Directors of An Binh Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, provided information to Tran Quoc Khanh, did not know that this information would be sent to Thai and this information was not a state secret, so criminal liability was not considered.
- Nguyen Cong Oanh: Provided information to Nguyen Thiet Hung, not knowing that this information would be sent to Thai and this information is not a state secret, so no criminal liability will be considered.
