(NEW YORK)—PEN America is relieved to hear about the release of Vietnamese activist, online commentator, and poet Tran Huynh Duy Thuc alongside climate activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong and lawyer Hoang Ngoc Giao.
Tran Huynh Duy Thuc was arrested in 2009 and sentenced to 16 years for his writings about government reforms. He has been subject to inhumane conditions in prison, and has endured multiple hunger strikes in protest of his lengthy prison sentence. On September 20th, Thuc was released eight months ahead of his scheduled release, just days before Vietnam General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to the U.S. where he is attending the 79th UN General Assembly session and is expected to meet with U.S. President Biden.
“While the release of Tran Huynh Duy Thuc is wonderful, serving over 15 years in prison for his writing is unconscionable. PEN America reiterates its call to the Vietnamese government to release all writers, journalists, and activists imprisoned for their expression. Free expression is essential for a thriving, just society and fosters human rights, accountability, and progress. If President To Lam wishes to demonstrate his commitment to global leadership, he must first prioritize and enforce human rights in his own country.”
“We also urge President Biden and the U.S. government to center human rights in its diplomatic relations with Vietnam and advocate for the release of others still unjustly detained,” said PEN America Research and Advocacy Manager Anh-Thu Vo.
According to PEN America’s Freedom to Write Index 2023, Vietnam was the world’s third-greatest jailer of writers, following China and Iran and tied with Saudi Arabia. In 2023, Vietnam imprisoned 19 writers including 2024 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Awardee, Pham Doan Trang. We reiterate our call for the Vietnamese government to drop all charges against Pham Doan Trang and all writers and dissidents imprisoned for their free expression.