Nguyen Van Truong
Nguyễn Văn Trường
Current Status: Pre-trial detention
Date of Birth: 1976
Gender: M
Ethnicity: Kinh
Citizen: Y
Known Prison(s):
Thai Nguyen province police detention center, Thai Nguyen province (February 9, 2018 - present)
Activist Focus:
- Anti-corruption
- Freedom of expression
Details
On September 21, 2025, police in Thai Nguyen province detained two men for "abusing democratic freedoms" under Article 331 of the criminal code—a provision widely used to criminalize free expression. According to official reports, Nguyen Van Truong and Nguyen Cong Hop allegedly engaged in “sabotage on cyberspace". However, the government did not provide any specific evidence.
This is not the first time Nguyen Van Truong has been charged under Article 331. He was previously arrested on February 9, 2018, after allegedly producing videos and writing articles critical of the government, which he disseminated on Facebook. However, it is not known if prosecutors pursued the 2018 charge against Truong.
Background
Nguyen Van Truong is a resident of Thai Nguyen province.
History of Activism
Via his Facebook page and the YouTube channel vietlive.tv, Nguyen Van Truong denounced officials of the Thai Nguyen province Police for corruption. Truong specifically denounced the director of the Thai Nguyen province Police for openly covering up for his subordinate at Vo Nhai district, Thai Nguyen province, in allegedly appropriating Truong's property, including a truck and some merchandise.
Charged under Art. 331 (2015 Code).
Details of Imprisonment
Nguyen Van Truong was arrested on February 9, 2018, under Art. 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code ("Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals"). State-owned newspapers announced the arrest and stated the results of the investigation as follow: "Since June 2017, Nguyen Van Truong has abused democratic freedoms in complaint and denouncement matters, to make video clips and write articles to disseminate on social media Facebook with the content that smears, discredits, slanders, attacks, and offends several individuals and State organs with litigation functions at the State level as well as in Thai Nguyen province."
Resources
Nguyen Van Truong's Facebook page
Khởi tố, bắt tạm giam đối tượng Nguyễn Văn Trường, Công An Nhân Dân, February 9, 2018
Một người tố cáo tham nhũng ở Thái Nguyên bị bắt về tội ‘lợi dụng quyền tự do dân chủ’, SBTN, February 10, 2018
Charged under Art. 331 (2015 Code).
Yes
Công an tỉnh Thái Nguyên khởi tố, bắt tạm giam 02 đối tượng có hành vi chống phá trên không gian mạng, Bo Cong an, Sept. 22, 2025
Profile last updated: 2025-12-19 04:29:54