The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) (Mạng Lưới Nhân Quyền Việt Nam in Vietnamese) is a non-profit NGO founded in 1997 committed to the defense and promotion of human rights and civil liberties in Vietnam. 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
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. A founding convention was held in Santa Ana, California on November 1, 1997, gathering a consortium of activists representing various human rights organizations worldwide; the Vietnam Human Rights Network was founded a few days later.
As of 2025, the VNHRN has held 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.
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 (December 10).From 2002 to 2008 the Awarding Ceremonies were organized in Orange County, California, USA; 2009 in Washington DC; 2010 in Houston, Texas; 2011 in Melbourne, Australia; 2012 in Montréal, Canada; 2013 in Paris, France; 2014 in San Jose, California; and 2015 in Orange County, California. 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.Petrotimes.vn. Lật tẩy "Giải nhân quyền Việt Nam 2011″ 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 (IJAVN) 2021 Mrs. Can Thi Theu's family, including her two sons Trinh Ba Phuong and Tinh Ba Tu and herself; environmental activist Đinh Thị Thu Thủy; 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 2025 Activists Phan Tat Thanh, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh, and Nguyen Chi Tuyen
Annual Report of the VNHRN
The Vietnam Human Rights Network has published its annual reports on Human Rights in Vietnam as of 2009.The current annual report can be found here
Award On May 27, 2018, The Visual Artists Guild presented the Vietnam Human Rights Network with the Spirit of Tiananmen Award for its human rights activities over the past two decades on the 28th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.Việt Báo Online. Giải Tinh Thần Thiên An Môn Trao Tặng Cho MLNQVN; Sứ quán Mỹ cứu vợ 1 LS Nhân quyền, Bị An Ninh TQ Chận ở Phi Trường Bangkok; VAG Cảm ơn 3 Phụ Nữ Gốc Việt Tới Hong Kong Biểu Tình Hỗ Trợ.
Criticism The existence and activities of VNHRN have drawn fierce criticism from the Vietnamese authorities as "a reactionary organization of Vietnamese in exile... hiding behind the shield of 'democracy and human rights' to oppose the Vietnamese government through slander and distortions."
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