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To: Petition to the Government of Vietnam, the United Nations, and International Human Rights Organizations
Immediate Release and Justice for Vietnamese Human Rights Defender Trịnh Bá Phương
We, the undersigned, urgently call upon the Government of Vietnam, the United Nations, and international human rights organizations to intervene in the case of Vietnamese human rights defender Trịnh Bá Phương, who is facing unjust persecution and imprisonment for his peaceful advocacy of land and human rights.
Background
- Trịnh Bá Phương is a well-known human rights activist from a family of land rights defenders. Since his family’s land was confiscated in 2008, he, alongside his parents and siblings, has courageously spoken out against abuses and defended the rights of farmers and vulnerable communities in Vietnam.
- In 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison under Article 117 of the Penal Code (“anti-state propaganda”) for peacefully criticizing government policies.
- His mother, Cấn Thị Thêu, and younger brother, Trịnh Bá Tư, are also serving 8-year prison sentences on similar charges. This is the third time that Cấn Thị Thêu has been imprisoned for her human rights advocacy.
New Developments
- In April 2025, the authorities in Quảng Nam Province initiated a new case against Mr. Trịnh Bá Phương under Article 117, Clause 1, alleging that he authored protest banners found inside his prison cell. The banners, which read: “Down with the Vietnamese Communist Party for violating human rights”, were used as evidence despite Mr. Phương’s clear denial of authorship.
- On September 27, 2025, he was subjected to a second trial under the same article. Although labeled a “public trial,” his family members, representatives of the European Union, and foreign embassies were denied access. The trial lasted only two hours and resulted in an additional 11-year prison sentence, bringing his total sentence to 21 years in prison.
- This marks the first time in Vietnam’s history that a citizen has been prosecuted and imprisoned twice under the same article of the Penal Code.
- After the trial, former prisoner of conscience Nguyễn Bắc Truyển, now living in exile in Germany, publicly confirmed that he, not Mr. Phương, had written the banners in question when they were imprisoned together. The use of these banners as fabricated evidence represents a grave miscarriage of justice.
Our Concerns
We are deeply concerned that:
- Mr. Trịnh Bá Phương is being targeted for his peaceful human rights advocacy, in violation of international human rights standards.
- The repeated use of Article 117 against him demonstrates systematic abuse of vague national security laws to silence dissent.
- His ongoing imprisonment under harsh conditions, along with the imprisonment of his family members, constitutes collective punishment and amounts to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
- The exclusion of family members, foreign diplomats, and independent observers from his trial violated due process rights and fair trial standards under international law.
Our Demands
We call on:
The Government of Vietnam to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Trịnh Bá Phương, his mother Cấn Thị Thêu, and his brother Trịnh Bá Tư.
- Quash the recent September 27, 2025 conviction, which was based on fabricated evidence.
- Cease the use of Article 117 and other vague national security provisions to criminalize peaceful expression and human rights advocacy.
The United Nations, European Union, and international human rights organizations to:
- Urgently investigate the case of Trịnh Bá Phương and his family.
- Demand Vietnam uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which it is a state party.
- Increase international pressure on the Vietnamese government to release all prisoners of conscience and end the persecution of human rights defenders.
Conclusion
The case of Trịnh Bá Phương is a clear example of judicial harassment and political persecution in Vietnam. His unjust imprisonment not only violates his fundamental rights but also sends a chilling message to all those who dare to speak out for justice and human rights in Vietnam.
We urge immediate international attention and action to secure his release and protect the rights of all human rights defenders in Vietnam.
Why is this important?
Please sign and share this petition to show Vietnam—and the world—that the persecution of human rights defenders must end.
Together, we can amplify Phương’s voice from behind prison walls.