From Vietnam to Geneva, activist Hue Nhu fights for freedom and human dignity

She faced harassment even after her release from prison

Originally published on Global Voices

Vietnamese anti-corruption activist and former political prisoner Dang Thi Hue, nicknamed Hue Nhu, spoke about human rights and the state of freedom in her home country at the Geneva Summit on Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th.

The Geneva Summit is an annual event organized by around 25 organizations on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session.

Hue Nhu’s participation in the summit was a big win not just for the campaign promoting human rights in Vietnam but also for her, who endured years of persecution for her commitment to upholding social justice.

Hue Nhu was a public school teacher for 16 years. In 2018, she joined a nationwide movement criticizing corruption-tainted toll projects. Her offline and online advocacy earned the ire of authorities and private companies behind these controversial projects, which led to her incarceration from 2019 to 2023. She continued her activism after her release from prison. She was abducted in May 2024 but found a way to escape to Thailand. Since June 2025, she has lived in Germany as a political refugee.

During her speech at the Geneva Summit, she shared her reason for speaking out even in exile:

I’m telling my own story, a victim of dictatorship, and my wish is not to be silenced. Because when someone is forced into exile simply for speaking out, it's not just a failure of a nation, but a test of the conscience of the international community.

She narrated the harassment she faced when she started criticizing abuse of power in 2018 and 2019.

My frequent critique and demands for transparency have become a crime. I am being monitored. I am being summoned for questioning. I am being interrogated constantly.

She said that her right to due process was violated during the trial that led to her sentencing.

During the trial, four lawyers defended me, but the court did not allow me or my lawyers to speak. The trial was open to the public, but hundreds of police officers were deployed to prevent my family, friends, and supporters from attending. They jammed the cell phone signals throughout the entire courtroom area. The court imposed a sentence that was unconstitutional, a sentence that not only deprived me of my personal freedom, but also sent a broader message: Citizens are forbidden from speaking out.

She recalled that after her release from prison, authorities targeted not just her but also her friends and fellow activists. “Security forces throughout Vietnam have been relentlessly pursuing me,” she said. “My friends who spoke out with me have also been implicated. The most severely affected was detained for three days and beaten with electric batons until he fainted.”

Hue Nhu: a teacher targeted for demanding accountability. pic.twitter.com/cqsXHAmZKs

— The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy (@GenevaSummit) February 18, 2026

In an email interview with Global Voices, Hue Nhu reflected on her journey from Vietnam to Geneva: “My journey in the struggle for democracy and human rights is not just the story of an individual, but a reminder that freedom and human dignity are always worth protecting.”

Looking back on her own experience, she gave this piece of advice to fellow human rights advocates.

If you dare to fight for others, millions of others will come to stand with you

Even in the most critical moments, I did not stop my activities, even expanding my reach and strengthening my online presence, regardless of the danger, seeking connections and readily contacting human rights organizations to have my voice heard.

Hue Nhu’s activism and the state-backed intimidation she faced drew global attention in recent years. PEN America issued a statement in 2024 expressing solidarity with Hue Nhu.

The persecution of Dang Thi Hue is a stark reminder of the risks faced by those in Vietnam who dare to speak out and challenge the government’s authoritarian rule. No one should be subjected to threats or reprisals for expressing their views, online or offline.

In an email interview, Michel Tran Duc, advocacy director of human rights group Viet Tan, highlighted the significance of Hue Nhu’s presence at the Geneva Summit.

Outside of Vietnam, the human rights violations perpetrated by the Vietnamese authorities are largely unknown to the general public. For the vast majority of people, Vietnam is a popular tourist destination, or even a place to do business. It is therefore crucial to shine a light on the victims of the regime and to hold those responsible accountable. The Geneva Summit on Human Rights and Democracy is an invaluable platform to give victims a voice, to share their stories, to acknowledge their suffering, and to ensure they receive the support they deserve.

Despite living in exile, Hue Nhu remains at risk due to the incidents of transnational repression allegedly perpetrated by Vietnamese state forces.

Here’s a video of Hue Nhu’s speech at the Geneva Summit.