Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

It happened again last week in Vietnam: musicians – music activists are sentenced to prison because of telling the truth. Like the Pussy Riots three months ago Vo Minh Tri 34, whose stage name is Viet Khang, and Tran Vu Anh Binh, 37, were sentenced to 4 years and 6 years respectively in Ho Chi Minh City.

Both were convicted of “spreading propaganda against the state.” Viet Khang protested in his songs against the government’s soft policy towards China in a territorial dispute. A YouTube video of his song Viet Nam Toi Dau – Where is my Vietnam? (watch video below) became a big hit. And Tran Vu Anh Binh supported an imprisoned blogger, Nguyen Van Hai,  in the song Nguc Toi Hien Ngang – Courage In The Dark Prison. In this song Mr.Binh urges people to go on the streets in support of Mr. Hai and protest nonviolently.

Again the same situation which we have observed in different totalitarian countries recently: the government or regime of that country is trying to silent dissidents who have successfully used the Internet and social media, such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter,etc. to spread out anti-regime messages.

DooBeeDoo supports the two gentlemen in their fight for a free Vietnam. They proved again that music still has a strong voice especially when it is spread out in the Internet.

Viet Nam Toi Dau

Viet Nam Toi Dau? – Anh La Ai? – Viet Khang – w. English subtitles