Hồ Duy Hải says the authorities tortured him into signing a confession for theft and murder. The trial also had serious errors, including ignoring his alibis and other vital evidence. Twice he came close to execution.
The stress of his pending death sentence took a huge toll on his family. His mother, Nguyễn Thị Loan, told Amnesty International: “It has been 11 years since he was arrested, and our family was torn apart. I can no longer bear this pain. Just thinking about my son suffering behind bars hurts me so much.”
At the end of 2019, the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Viet Nam accepted Hồ Duy Hải’s appeal against his death sentence. Independent media and civil society in Vietnam believe that Amnesty International played an essential role in preventing his execution. Amnesty International’s campaigning accelerated the impact on the case by creating momentum and maintaining large-scale pressure on the authorities.
The family have shared their appreciation of our efforts. Nguyễn Thị Loan said: “Thank you for saving my son’s life, no word could describe my sincere gratitude to all of you.”
