Ho Van Hai

Hồ Văn Hải (born in 1964) is a Vietnamese doctor and blogger. He was arrested and charged with "anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code. After a one-day trial in Ho Chi Minh City, Hải was sentenced to four years in prison followed by two years' house arrest.

Background and activism Previously, Hồ Văn Hải worked as a doctor at Cho Ray Hospital. He ran a private practice that he founded in 2004 up until his detention twelve years later. His Facebook page and blog posts spanned topics such as education and the environment, notably covering a toxic spill that poisoned millions of fish which was caused by a Taiwanese-owned steel plant.

After a one-day trial in Ho Chi Minh City on February 1, 2018, Hải was sentenced to four years in prison followed by two years house arrest. He was charged with "anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code.

Hồ Văn Hải was detained in Chi Hoa prison in Ho Chi Minh City in harsh conditions. Reportedly, his existing health issues were exacerbated and he did not receive sufficient food or correct medications.

International rsesponse After his arrest, the UN Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia called on Vietnam to unconditionally release Hải.

In March 2019, human rights focused non-profit Freedom Now submitted a report detailing the case to the Office of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. This report was delivered in advance of Vietnam's Universal Periodic Review conducted by the UN in January 2019. In February 2021, the Working Group determined that his detention is arbitrary and violates international law.