Vietnam Human Rights Network
As a non-profit NGO founded in 1997, the Vietnam Human Rights Network – named Mạng Lưới Nhân Quyền Việt Nam in Vietnamese – consists of several human rights activists and organizations committed to the defense and promotion of human rights and civil liberties entitled to all Vietnamese citizens. To fulfill its mission, the Network focuses its operations on the rights set forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent international human rights instruments. Members of the VNHRN are present in many countries worldwide, and its headquarters are in Orange County, California, U.S.A.
Formation of the VNHRN
Toward the end of the 1990s, the increasing repression of dissidents by the Vietnamese authorities at home and the collapse of many communist dictatorial regimes in Eastern Europe, encouraged many Vietnamese human rights activists worldwide to come together for collective actions. As a result, on November 1, 1997, a founding convention was held in Santa Ana, California, gathering a consortium of activists representing various human rights organizations worldwide. After two days of deliberation, they decided to establish the Vietnam Human Rights Network. A By-laws was adopted to serve as the basis for the organization’s operation. By 2000 the VNHRN obtained its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.Since its founding, the VNHRN has held up to now seventeen Conventions gathering participants from many countries to go over past operations, assess the human rights situations in Vietnam and the world, and layout the general directions and future activities.
Organization
As a network, participating organizations are entirely equal in their standing and votes. The only condition is that they work together on joint projects while retaining their identity as individual organizations with their activities. For coordination purposes, VNHRN consists of three central bodies: the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Advisory Board.Typical Activities
Three main goals of VNHRN’s activities are:Information and Education
- Producing Human Rights Newsletter.
- Establishing a website on the Internet to rapidly disseminate human rights news and developments
- Translating and publishing the, documents and writings on human rights for dissemination both inside Vietnam and in the Diaspora.
- Organizing human rights seminars and conferences in Montreal, Sydney, Munich, Paris, Washington DC, New York, Orlando, New Orleans, Houston and Dallas, Westminster, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento, and San Diego, Seattle and Tacoma, Denver, etc...
- Publishing .
- Cooperating with international human rights organizations such as American and Chinese, Burmese and Tibetan NGOs, as well as with the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner's Office, the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters sans Frontières, etc...
- Participating in the Vietnam Human Rights Day held annually at the U.S. Senate since 1998.
- Meeting with both executive and legislative branches of a number of countries so as to seek support for human rights in Vietnam, such as a, or one with Honorable Geoffrey Harris, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the European Union …
- Participating in several international conferences on human rights, such as the 2000 United Nations Millennium Forum in New York, the 2003 International Conference for Human Rights in the Netherlands,,
- Establishing annual Vietnam Human Rights Awards and awarding them to outstanding human rights activists.
- Helping financially and for medical reasons those activists who run into difficulties.
The Vietnam Human Rights Awards
Since 2002, the Vietnam Human Rights Network has presented annual Awards to selected human rights activists and organizations in Vietnam who have made their mark in the inexorable march towards freedom, human rights, and democracy of the Vietnamese people. It is also an opportunity for Vietnamese people in the Diaspora to express their solidarity with and support those involved in the relentless fighting for fundamental rights and justice for Vietnamese people. The prize-awarding ceremony was held every year in different locations worldwide on International Human Rights Day.After over two decades of existence, the Vietnam Human Rights Awards have received positive marks from both inside and outside of Vietnam, despite sharp criticism by the Vietnamese authorities.
List of VNHRA Recipients
| 2002 | Most Venerable Thích Quảng Độ and Father Nguyễn Văn Lý |
| 2003 | Messrs Nguyen Vu Binh, Le Chi Quang, Nguyen Khac Toan, and Dr. Phạm Hồng Sơn |
| 2004 | Mr. Pham Que Duong and Dr. Nguyễn Đan Quế |
| 2005 | Mr. Le Quang Liem, Father Phan Van Loi, and Venerable Thich Tue Sy |
| 2006 | Mr. Do Nam Hai an Mr. Nguyen Chinh Ket |
| 2007 | Mr. Hoàng Minh Chính, Lawyer Nguyễn Văn Đài, and Lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan |
| 2008 | Venerable Thich Thien Minh, Blogger Diếu Cày Nguyễn Văn Hải, and Tu Do Ngon Luan Magazine |
| 2009 | Pastor Nguyen cong Chinh and Writer Tran Khai Thanh Thuy |
| 2010 | Journalist Truong Minh Duc and Mr. Đoàn Huy Chương |
| 2011 | Dr. Cù Huy Hà Vũ and Ms. Do Thi Minh Hanh |
| 2012 | Ms. Pham Thanh Nghien, Blogger Tạ Phong Tần, and Ms. Huynh Thuc Vy |
| 2013 | Messrs Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức, Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung, and Lawyer Le Quoc Quan |
| 2014 | Vietnam Redemptorist Province, Mr. Nguyen Bac Truyen, and Musicians Viet Khang and Tran Vu Anh Binh |
| 2015 | Most Venerable Thích Không Tánh, Ms. Ho Thi Bich Khuong, and Ms. Bui Thi Minh Hang |
| 2016 | The Vietnamese Bloggers' Network, Lawyer Vo An Don, Ms. Tran Ngoc Anh, and Ms. Can Thi Theu |
| 2017 | The Brotherhood for Democracy, Blogger Ba Sàm Nguyễn Hữu Vinh, Blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, and Pastor Y Yích |
| 2018 | Mr. Hoang Duc Binh, Ms. Tran Thi Nga, and Blogger Pham Doan Trang |
| 2019 | Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, Activist Nguyen Dang Minh Man, and Lawyer Le Cong Dinh |
| 2020 | Activist Nguyen Nang Tinh, Activist Nguyen Van Hoa, and The Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam |
| 2021 | Mrs. Can Thi Theu's family, including her two sons Trinh Ba Phuong and Tinh Ba Tu and herself; environmental activist Dinh Thi Thu Thuy; and Mr. Nguyen Van Tuc |
| 2022 | Poet Tran Duc Thach, Journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy, Activist Luu Van Vinh and the Vietnam National Self-Determination Coalition |
| 2023 | Activists Trần Văn Bang, Y Wô Nie, and Lê Trọng Hùng |
| 2024 | Activists Bui Van Thuan, Dang Dang Phuoc, and Do Nam Trung |