Vo Minh Tri
Vo Minh Tri (or Viet Khang) was born on January 19, 1978. In 2011, he co-founded the Patriotic Youth to promote public consciousness on social justice and civic engagement. The Patriotic Youth is made up of college students, young artists and professionals, and musicians. Tri performed songs that he wrote to advocate for the respect of human rights, freedom, free elections, and Vietnam's territorial integrity. Two of his songs that were posted on Youtube criticized the Vietnamese government's failure to take a stand against China in a dispute about islands in the South China Sea and the police crackdown on anti-China protests. In the wake of police crackdowns on anti-China protesters across Vietnam, Viet Khang wrote two songs: "Anh La Ai?" (Who are you?), and NuocToi Dau? (Where is my Viet Nam?), both of which quickly went viral. In addition to writing music, he also writes about social and human rights issues such as poverty and police violence.
In September, 2011 the police arrested and held him for a week and released him. Public security re-arrested him three months later, on December 23, 2011, seizing his computer and recording equipment. After a year in detention, a court in Ho Chi Minh City on October 30, 2012 sentenced him to four years imprisonment and two years house arrest, convicted of conducting propaganda against the state, Article 88 of the criminal code. Vo currently is being held in solitary confinement at Trai tam giam Cong an, a public security police detention camp in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vo Minh Tri was RELEASED on December 13, 2015 upon the completion of his sentence.
Advocate: Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX)