New York, October 21 — PEN America strongly condemns the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Dang Thi Hue, a Vietnamese activist and online commentator, by the Vietnamese government. Known for her outspoken criticism of government policies and advocacy for human rights, including on Facebook, Dang has been subject to increased harassment, surveillance, and threats aimed at suppressing her dissent.
Dang Thi Hue was previously arrested in October 2019 for her activism. Following her release in early 2023, she resumed her advocacy and online commentary despite ongoing harassment from authorities. In May 2024, she was abducted on the street by six individuals, one wearing a police uniform and temporarily detained for over 24 hours. During her detention, Dang was interrogated about content on her Facebook page, pressured to end her support for prisoners of conscience and their families, and ordered to stop posting content on Facebook critical of the government.
“The persecution of Dang Thi Hue is a stark reminder of the risks faced by those in Vietnam who dare to speak out and challenge the government’s authoritarian rule. We call on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately cease their harassment of Dang Thi Hue and respect her fundamental rights of free expression and peaceful dissent. No one should be subjected to threats or reprisals for expressing their views, online or offline. We also urge key state partners of the Vietnamese government, including the U.S. government, to prioritize free expression in their diplomatic engagements and press the Vietnamese government to immediately release anyone imprisoned for their expression and cease the harassment of its critics,” said PEN America Research and Advocacy Manager Anh-Thu Vo.
According to PEN America’s 2023 Freedom to Write Index, Vietnam was the world’s third-greatest jailer of writers, following China and Iran, and tied with Saudi Arabia. The Vietnamese government continues to enforce oppressive laws to stifle any criticism. This has created an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship, forcing many writers, journalists, and activists into silence or exile to avoid imprisonment. In this climate of oppression, people like Dang play a critical role in keeping civil society informed and engaged, despite the grave risks they face.
PEN America calls on the Vietnamese government to end its intimidation of writers, online commentators, journalists, and activists and to immediately release anyone imprisoned for their free expression. Additionally, PEN America calls on the international community to urge the Vietnamese government to stop the persecution of those who criticize it and stand in solidarity with Dang Thi Hue and all those who are under threat in Vietnam for exercising their right to free expression.The Vietnamese government must be held accountable for its ongoing violations of international human rights standards, including its binding obligations under article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is a signatory.