Vietnamese human rights defender Trần Thị Nga is free! Although she was sentenced in 2017 to serve nine years in prison, authorities released her on January 9 with one condition: Go into exile. Trần Thị Nga, her partner and two sons have arrived safety in the USA where they will start new lives.
Following her release, Trần Thị Nga shared the following message: “I thank Amnesty International for your tireless effort in demanding for my freedom. I am happy that my family is now reunited and living in peace. However, there are still many prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. I sincerely hope that Amnesty International will continue to fight for their freedom.”
Arrested in January 2017, Trần Thị Nga had been convicted of “conducting propaganda against the state” under Article 88 of the 1999 penal code for participating in peaceful protests following the 2016 Formosa environmental disaster. In Vietnam, she was a fierce advocate for the rights of migrant workers and displaced persons and was often subjected to harassment, intimidation and physical assault for her involvement in environmental rights movements.
