Tried in absentia, exiled photojournalist Đoàn Bảo Châu receives a seven-year prison sentence in a Hà Nội courtroom.
The Latest: On the morning of Aug. 3, 2026, the Hà Nội People’s Court tried Đoàn Bảo Châu in absentia, sentencing him to seven years in prison followed by five years of probation under Article 117 of Việt Nam’s Penal Code.
- The sentence ultimately exceeded the five to six years originally requested by prosecutors.
The Details: According to the indictment, the primary evidence against Đoàn Bảo Châu consisted of six videos that authorities deemed unlawful. Five of these videos were posted on his Chau Doan Facebook page, and one was published by BBC News Tiếng Việt on YouTube. The six videos included:
- Prison Camp No. 6, Thanh Chương, Nghệ An — June 2016.
- Three Lawyers Discuss the Appeal in the Đồng Tâm Case — March 2021.
- Human Rights and the ICCPR Dialogue in Geneva — March 2019.
- Associate Professor Nguyễn Hoàng Ánh Discusses Phạm Đoan Trang.
- Đặng Thị Huệ and the Bắc Thăng Long BOT Toll Station.
- A BBC News Tiếng Việt discussion about flooding in central Việt Nam.
During the investigation in mid-2025, Đoàn Bảo Châu acknowledged that the voice and image in the videos were his. However, he denied that the livestreams were intended to “oppose the state.”
Prosecutors requested a sentence of five to six years, while his court-appointed lawyer sought a lighter sentence on the grounds that it was his “first offense.”
The Hà Nội People’s Court nevertheless sentenced Châu to seven years, citing his absence from his registered residence, his failure to respond to official summonses, and authorities’ inability to determine his whereabouts.
Châu’s Defense: At 10 a.m. Việt Nam time, as the trial was underway, Châu posted a “defense statement” on the Chau Doan Facebook page declaring his opposition to the entire case.
- He said that he had only been exercising his freedom of expression, “the rights of a reporter pursuing the truth and the right of a citizen to offer constructive opinions for a better society.”
He asked the trial panel to take three actions within its authority:
- Play all six allegedly unlawful videos during the public trial.
- Identify “each individual sentence” considered fabricated, provide the corresponding facts and supporting evidence, and name the organizations or individuals allegedly insulted.
- Summon the people interviewed in the six videos as witnesses.
“If the court fulfills my requests and the prosecution proves even one fabricated sentence, I will accept the verdict,” Đoàn Bảo Châu said.
Who is Đoàn Bảo Châu? Châu began his career as a martial arts instructor but became widely known as a photojournalist who worked for international news organizations, including The Associated Press, Reuters, Radio Free Asia, and The New York Times.
- He is also known as an outspoken critic who has addressed social issues involving alleged human rights violations in Việt Nam.
As of the morning of Aug. 3, 2026, his Chau Doan Facebook page, which has operated since 2009, had 225,000 followers.
Case Timeline: The legal proceedings against him followed this timeline:
- April 24, 2025: Hà Nội police opened the criminal case.
- June 30, 2025: Police charged Đoàn Bảo Châu, issued a search warrant, and ordered his pretrial detention.
- Aug. 14, 2025: Hà Nội police issued a wanted notice after he left his registered residence.
- July 28, 2026: The Hà Nội People’s Procuracy issued an indictment for him under Article 117 and ordered that he be tried in absentia on Aug. 3.
- Aug. 3, 2026: The Hà Nội People’s Court tried Châu in absentia and sentenced him to seven years in prison followed by five years of probation.
Why It Matters: Đoàn Bảo Châu now resides in Canada.
- His case is one of several trials conducted in absentia against human rights activists under President Tô Lâm.
- This marks a notable and emerging trend when compared to the administration of the late Nguyễn Phú Trọng.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on August 3, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
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