Since October 31, Vietnamese political prisoner Trinh Ba Tu has been held in near-total isolation in a dark cell, denied visitors and even natural light. Guards only open the door twice a day to deliver meals, making this brief contact the only human interaction he receives.
The harsh treatment followed Trinh’s complaint about moldy and spoiled rice provided to prisoners. Earlier, in September, he and fellow political prisoners staged a hunger strike calling for the “immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and detained activists in Vietnam” and urging the government to uphold human rights and promote democratic reforms.
Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party maintains strict control over political power and tolerates no dissent. The government currently holds at least 160 political prisoners, people imprisoned, often for years, solely for expressing criticism of government policies.
Trinh Ba Tu, 36, is serving an eight-year sentence at Prison No. 6 in Nghe An province. Advocacy runs in his family: his mother, Can Thi Theu, is serving eight years at Prison No. 5, and his older brother, Trinh Ba Phuong, is serving ten years and appealing an additional 11-year sentence. The family has long campaigned for human rights, land rights, and environmental protection, and all have been charged under Article 117 of Vietnam’s penal code, which authorities frequently use to silence dissent.
Despite Vietnam’s economic growth, international trade partners and donors have largely ignored systematic human rights abuses. Human rights advocates are calling on the Vietnamese government to immediately release Trinh Ba Tu and to investigate prison conditions, ensuring that all detainees have access to adequate food, water, medical care, and humane treatment in line with international standards.
