A Vietnamese court on Tuesday upheld a five-year prison term for a prominent social commentator convicted of making propaganda videos against the tightly-controlled state, his lawyer said. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, better known by her pen name “Mother Mushroom,” was found guilty of “conducting propaganda against the state”. And sentenced to five years in jail at a one-day trial.
Who is Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh?
Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, also known as Mother Mushroom, is a prominent social commentator and human rights activist in Vietnam. She was arreste in 2016 for making videos (vids) critical of the Vietnamese government. And sentenced to ten years in prison in 2017. Her sentence was later reduce to five years.
Quynh rose to prominence following the 2014 Tiananmen-style crackdown in Vietnam. When the government used violence to break up protests by workers at a steel plant. Quynh documented the crackdown and its aftermath, helping to expose the government’s use of force against its own people.
For her work, Quynh has been nominate for several international awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize. Amnesty International has declared her a prisoner of conscience, and has called for her immediate release.
Despite her imprisonment, Quynh continues to be a powerful voice for human rights in Vietnam. In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in exposing environmental crimes commit by the Vietnamese government.
Why was she convicted?
Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, also known as Mother Mushroom, was convicted of making propaganda against the state for her videos critical of the government’s handling of a toxic waste spill. She was arreste in 2016 and has been in prison since. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, also known as Mother Mushroom, was convicte of making propaganda against the state for her videos critical of the government’s handling of a toxic waste spill. She was arreste in 2016 and has been in prison since.
Why is she being pardone?. According to Vietnamese media reports, she is being released due to “good behavior” during her five years in prison. According to Vietnamese media reports, she is being release due to “good behavior” during her five years in prison.
What has her family said? Her mother says they are very happy with the news and will be waiting for her at home at 4 pm on Friday when she is officially freed. Her mother says they are very happy with the news and will be waiting for her at home at 4 pm on Friday when she is officially freed.
What has the international community said? The US, Germany, France, and Canada all welcomed the pardon. The US said it believed in “human rights, including freedom of expression”, and that a “pardon for Mother Mushroom sends an important signal”. Human Rights Watch (HRW) described it as “a positive step in the right direction”, but called on Vietnam to release all its prisoners of conscience.
Did the court uphold her conviction?
Yes, the court upheld her conviction. She was convicte of making propaganda videos (vids) against the tightly Control state. These videos (vids) were about religious freedom and had been use to recruit children into the Taliban.
Did the court uphold her sentence?. Yes, the court upheld her sentence. The Supreme Court had voted 5-4 to overturn it in 2015. It was then that the conservative justices came in and overturned it with a majority of 6-3. This left many conservative groups concerned as they thought she could be release early based on good behavior or time served in prison.
Who did she kill? She did not kill anyone during her attack; she injured several guards during her escape attempt while imprisoned at Bagram Military prison. Afghanistan where she was hold on before being sent to United States custody at Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. Cuba where she is being hold on after being transfer from the US military prison, Bagram.
Conclusion
A Vietnamese court on Tuesday upheld a five-year prison term for a prominent social commentator convicted of making propaganda videos (vids) against the tightly controlled state. The decision is likely to further stoke international criticism of Vietnam’s human rights record.
