sitting in a small cafa,trinh ba phuong 31, reaches across the table to light his uncle's cigarette,befor he explains how his paraents ended up in prison over a land protest.
he has brought family members and friends to the interview for support in case he is tailed by security officials.
phuong'sfather is serving a 20-month prison sentence and his mother 15 months for disturbing public order after they helped rally protesters against eviction for a residential project in their village,duong noi,on the outskirts of hanoi,last year.
around 350 of the village's famililes refused the $13 per square meter they were offered in early 2041,saying it was too low.
"there was no discussion.now they have taken the land.we're farmers,what job can we do?"phuong say.
the story of phuong's family is a common one in viethnam,where land requisitions are frequent for residential,commercial,industral and infrastructure developments.