Vietnam has previously prosecuted bloggers and discourages dissent in other ways, too. According to Human Rights Watch, last year at least 45 bloggers and rights activists were beaten by plainclothes agents. Late last year, the state's thugs badly beat up Nguyen Van Dai, a prominent human rights activist and lawyer. He led a workshop on human rights in early December in Nghe An province and was assaulted by plainclothes goons. On Dec. 16 in Hanoi, he was formally arrested and thrown into solitary confinement. His wife, Vu Minh Khanh, told us he has not been allowed visitors or contact with his family. He was told his arrest was for "conducting propaganda against the state." He was fighting for a freer and more open Vietnam.