Vietnam dissenter jailed for 8 years for Facebook posts criticising handling of pandemic
Bui Van Thuan arrested just days after speaking against government’s lockdown plans
A critic of the Vietnamese government was sentenced to eight years in prison for "anti-state activities" after he shared social media posts skeptical of the Communist party's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bui Van Thuan, a 41-year-old online honey salesman and chemistry teacher, was detained in August 2021, days after he posted a comment on Facebook questioning the Vietnamese authorities after locals began panic buying ahead of a lockdown.
The Communist Party in Vietnam retains tight media censorship and tolerates no dissent, in a blatant violation of human rights.
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