The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) announced on November 13, 2026, that three imprisoned human rights activists have been chosen to receive the 2026 Vietnam Human Rights Award. The recipients are Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung, independent journalist Le Huu Minh Tuan, and human rights activist Le Chi Thanh. The award ceremony will be co-hosted by VNHRN and the Human Rights Relief Foundation (HRRF) in Sydney, Australia, on December 6, 2026, coinciding with International Human Rights Day and the 78th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Dr. Nguyen Ba Tung, Executive Director of VNHRN, stated that the award represents a resolute commitment from the Vietnamese diaspora worldwide to support those persecuted for their human rights advocacy. He described it as a definitive response to the oppressive Communist regime in Vietnam, affirming that violence can never diminish the people's aspirations for fundamental human rights. The Vietnam Human Rights Award, established in 2002, is presented annually to individuals and organizations in Vietnam that have made outstanding contributions to protecting and promoting the human rights of the Vietnamese people. Since its inception, the award has honored 64 individuals and six organizations. Over the past 24 years, ceremonies have been held in cities around the world, including Paris, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and several U.S. cities.
Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung, born in 1954 in Hai Phong, served as a platoon leader and political commissar in the North Vietnamese military before leaving the military after 1975. He joined the state-unrecognized Mennonite Church, was ordained pastor in 2011, and succeeded Pastor Duong Kim Khai in leading Hội Thánh Chuồng Bò (Cow Shed Church). He is a member of the Vietnam Inter-Faith Council and has consistently advocated for religious freedom and human rights. In 2015, he testified before the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, exposing the Vietnamese government's suppression of independent religious communities. He has also spoken out against corruption and unlawful land seizures. After years of harassment, he was arrested on January 16, 2025. On June 8, 2026, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City sentenced him to five years and six months in prison, followed by five years of probation, on the charge of "conducting propaganda against the State." He is currently serving his sentence at Xuan Loc Prison in Dong Nai Province, and his health has reportedly deteriorated significantly.
Journalist Le Huu Minh Tuan, born in 1989 in Quang Nam Province, holds a degree in history from the University of Danang and studied law at Hanoi Law University. He joined the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam (IJAVN) and oversaw daily reporting for Vietnam Thoi Bao. Writing under the pen name "Le Tuan," he produced articles exposing social injustices and contributing to public discussion of Vietnam's democracy movement. On June 12, 2020, he was arrested and charged with "conducting propaganda against the State" under Article 117 of the Vietnamese Penal Code. During the investigation, he was held in solitary confinement for five months without access to a lawyer or family. On January 5, 2021, he received an 11-year prison sentence, followed by three years of probation. He is currently detained at Xuyen Moc Prison in Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, and his health has reportedly deteriorated severely due to chronic illnesses and harsh prison conditions.
Human rights activist Le Chi Thanh, born in 1983 in Vinh Phuc Province, joined the police force at age 20, serving at Xuan Loc Prison and the Z30D facility. Witnessing exploitation and abuses of power prompted him to reflect on justice and human dignity. The 2014 HD-981 oil rig crisis marked a turning point, and he began openly challenging corruption and authoritarian rule. In July 2020, he was expelled from the police force. He then turned to Facebook and YouTube to expose corruption and social injustice, and ran as an independent candidate for the National Assembly in 2021. Authorities arrested him on April 14, 2021, just one month before the election. On January 14, 2022, the Thu Duc City People's Court sentenced him to two years in prison for "obstructing persons performing official duties" under Article 330. On June 22, 2022, the Ham Tan District People's Court imposed an additional three-year sentence for "abusing democratic freedoms" under Article 331. During imprisonment, he was transferred among eight different prisons and endured torture. By the time of his second trial, his physical condition had deteriorated so severely that two police officers had to support him as he stood before the court. Released in June 2025, he resumed his advocacy but faced mounting pressure. He legally traveled to Thailand in late 2025 and obtained refugee status from UNHCR. However, after Vietnamese authorities revoked his passport, he was detained by Thai authorities at the Bangkok Immigration Detention Center and faced the threat of deportation to Vietnam. His detention is one instance of the transnational repression policy that the Vietnamese authorities are employing against dissidents—a matter that warrants the attention of the international community.
