The Communist Party of Vietnam leads the entire nation’s politics and government. This single-party state entirely monopolizes authorized social organizations, media outlets, and all other forms of publications. The result is censorship of the protesting activists fighting for the people’s rights to freedom of expression, religion, and press.

Vietnamese rights activist and blogger Ho Van Hai has been put on trial for such opposition. These trials impose sentences of four to twelve years in prison on the basis of “conducting propaganda against the state” (world report). Protestors like Ho Van Hai face constant physical abuse from government officials and affiliated thugs, neither of whom are punished for these attacks.

These human rights violations have extended beyond just the streets, now, activists are being arrested for facebook posts as well. “making, storing, disseminating, or propagandizing information, materials, and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under article 117 of the 2015 penal code is what is used to arrest people like Nguyen Ngoc Ahn and put them under investigation.

It is still unclear as to which of his posts they objected to, however, his account shows active support for democracy in the state and clear opposition against the current party. Despite the government’s attempt to censor online media by arresting Nguyen Ngoc Ahn, it has only brought more attention to him and other activists venting their frustrations on the internet.

Nguyen Ngoc Ahn’s wife visited his cell in jail this October. She too went to Facebook and spoke out about the dehumanizing treatment of the prison. She said that Nguyen Ngoc Ahn “dragged his feet with a lot of difficulties” from the beatings he received from the guards and the prisoners. Du Huu Cuong, another prisoner, was beaten until he collapsed. These attacks have all been reported to the guards, still, none took any action, just as they had not against the affiliated thugs on the streets.