Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức

In this Vietnamese name, the family name is Trần, but is often simplified to Tran in English-language text. According to Vietnamese custom, this person should properly be referred to by the given name Thức.
Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức
Born (1966-11-29) 29 November 1966
Residence Tân Bình District, Ho Chi Minh City
Alma mater Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology
Website tranhuynhduythucofficial.wordpress.com

Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức (born 29 November 1966) is a Vietnamese engineer, entrepreneur and human rights activist.[1] He was the founder and president of EIS, an international internet and telephone line provider.[2] He is one of Amnesty International's prisoners of conscience.[3]

EIS

Thức opened EIS as a computer shop in 1993 which assembled its own computers, and by 1994 the brand dominated the home PC market in Ho Chi Minh City.[4] Later on it became an internet service provider, and in 1998 became the first Vietnamese ISP to branch out from dial-up to an integrated services digital network.[5]

EIS started providing Voice over IP services in Vietnam in 2003.[6][7] They developed subsidiaries, One-Connection Singapore, One-Connection USA / Innfex, One-Connection Malaysia and One-Connection Vietnam, to provide internet access and telephone lines internationally.[8][9][10]

One-Connection Vietnam's operation license was withdrawn following Thức's arrest.[11]

Activism

He began blogging under the pen name of Tran Dong Chan after he received no response to letters he had written to senior government officials.[12]

In 2008 he started co-writing "The Path of Viet Nam", which assessed the current situation in Vietnam, with a comprehensive set of recommendations for governance reform centred on human rights.[13]

Arrest and imprisonment

He was arrested in 2009, initially for "theft of telephone wires", and later for "conducting propaganda" against the state.[14] He made a televised confession but later recanted, saying he was coerced.[15]

In 2010 he was tried in day-long trial alongside fellow dissidents Lê Công Định, Nguyễn Tiến Trung and Le Thang Long.[16] Amnesty International called the trial "a mockery of justice" and said the "trial allowed no meaningful defence for the accused".[17] The trial judges deliberated for 15 minutes before returning with the judgment, which took 45 minutes to read. Amnesty International said the judgement had clearly been prepared in advance of the hearing.[18] He could have received the death penalty.[19][20]

He was imprisoned for 16 years, followed by five years house arrest, for "activities aimed at subverting the people's administration".[21][22] His sentence was the longest ever passed on a Vietnamese dissident.[23] His imprisonment was condemned by British Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis and American ambassador Michael W. Michalak.[24][25] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded his detention was arbitrary and requested the Vietnamese government to release him and provide compensation.[26] Amnesty International declared him a prisoner of conscience and called for his release.[27]

He is being held at the Xuyen Moc Prison in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province.[28]

Personal life

Thức is married with two daughters.[29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Van Anh (7 July 2003). "IT firms plug into overseas call market". Vietnam Investment Review. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Viet Nam: Prisoners of conscience released but dozens remain jailed". Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Profile Tran Huynh Duy Thuc – a pioneering entrepreneur". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Profile Tran Huynh Duy Thuc – a pioneering entrepreneur". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Private firm seeks approval to provide Internet phone service". Vietnam Investment Review. 24 March 2003. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Local firms set to join infant net-call market". Vietnam Investment Review. 11 August 2003. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Profile Tran Huynh Duy Thuc – a pioneering entrepreneur". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Vietnam telco first with Malaysia Internet service". 11 June 2003. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Internet phone firm to go public". Vietnam Investment Review. 16 June 2003. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Profile Tran Huynh Duy Thuc – a pioneering entrepreneur". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Asia: Dangerous convictions; Repression in Vietnam". The Economist. 394 (8667): 52. 30 January 2010.
  16. ↑ "Vietnam jails dissidents". The Australian. News Corp Australia. 22 January 2010. p. 9.
  17. ↑ "Vietnamese dissidents' trial a mockery of justice". Amnesty International. Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "Vietnamese dissidents' trial a mockery of justice". Amnesty International. Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "Vietnam democracy activist jailed". Al Jazeera English. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Cracking down". Business Asia. 42 (4): 5. 22 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "Vietnam jails dissidents". The Australian. News Corp Australia. 22 January 2010. p. 9.
  22. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "Ho Chi Minh City court upholds jail sentences for dissidents". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Democratic Party of Vietnam; U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak Deeply Troubled by Conviction of Four Activists By Vietnam Court". China Business Newsweekly (200). 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  25. ↑ "Vietnam jails dissidents". The Australian. News Corp Australia. 22 January 2010. p. 9.
  26. ↑ "SILENCED VOICES PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE IN VIET NAM" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  27. ↑ "Viet Nam: Prisoners of conscience released but dozens remain jailed". Amnesty International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  28. ↑ "TRAN HUYNH DUY THUC - blogger TRAN DONG CHAN" (PDF). Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  29. ↑ "TRAN HUYNH DUY THUC - blogger TRAN DONG CHAN" (PDF). Retrieved 15 November 2014.
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