Cao Thi Cuc
Additional Name(s): Cao Thị Cúc
Gender: Female
Current Location: Long An Detention Center, Long An
Perpetrator: Vietnam
Ethnic Group: Kinh
Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Unspecified/Other
Sentence: 3 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: May/12/2022
Date of Sentencing: July/21/2022
Date of Release: January/12/2025
Current Status: Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Online Activity Religious Activity Unregistered Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Subversion
Cao Thi Cuc
Extra Bio Info:
Cao Thi Cuc was imprisoned for her religious activity and expression.
On May 12, 2022, authorities arrested Cao Thi Cuc, a member of the THIÊN AM BÊN BỜ VŨ TRỤ (TABBVT) Buddhist Monastery (also known as Tinh That Bong Lai and Thien Am at the Edge of the Universe), an independent Buddhist community, and charged her with “abusing democratic freedoms” (Art. 331/2015 VCC). In January 2022, other members of the monastery were questioned and arrested after authorities accused them of taking advantage of religion and philanthropy for their own personal benefit. A complaint against the monastery was reportedly submitted by the Buddhist Church of Vietnam, the state-backed religious entity, and Thich Nhat Tu, a member of the Buddhist Church of Vietnam’s board of directors.
On June 9, 2022, Cuc was formally indicted, with authorities accusing her and others of creating videos and authoring an article insulting to the Duc Hoa District Police, the Buddhist Church of Vietnam in Long An province, and Thich Nhat Tu.
On July 21, 2022, the Duc Hoa District People's Court sentenced Cuc to three years in prison.
In late 2022, an appeals court reportedly upheld Cuc's sentence.
On January 12, 2025, Cao Thi Cuc was released from prison.
Related Cases: Le Tung Van, Le Thanh Trung Duong, Le Thanh Hoan Nguyen, Le Thanh Nhat Nguyen, Le Thanh Nhi Nguyen
Publicly Available Information:
“Cao Thi Cuc” The Project 88
- IRFBA Chair’s Statement on Vietnamese Religious Prisoners of Conscience: Lê Tùng Vân, Lê Thanh Trùng Dương, Lê Thanh Hoàn Nguyên, Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên, Cao Thị Cúc, and Lê Thanh Nhị Nguyên U.S. Department of State
- Negative Impacts of Religious Persecution on Ten Child Monks at Thiền Am Bên Bờ Vũ Trụ (TABBVT) Boat People SOS (BPSOS)
- "Vietnamese religious leader appeals five-year sentence" Radio Free Asia (RFA)
- "Elderly man jailed for 'abusing democratic freedoms'" Vn Express International
- “Vụ tịnh thất Bồng Lai: Luật sư gửi báo cáo khẩn lên trung ương đòi điều tra công an huyện Đức Hòa” Radio Free Asia (RFA)
- “Vụ Tịnh thất Bồng Lai: Ban hành cáo trạng với thời gian nhanh kỷ lục là chưa thỏa đáng!” Radio Free Asia (RFA)
- “Vụ Tịnh thất Bồng Lai: Năm luật sư bào chữa tiếp cận được ông Lê Tùng Vân” Radio Free Asia (RFA)
- “Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai: Bốn người bị khởi tố tội 'lợi dụng quyền tự do dân chủ'” British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
- “Long An: four men prosecuted for abusing rights to freedom and democracy” Vietnam Plus