Vietnam

Vietnam

What You Need to Know

Vietnam was among the top jailers of writers in the 2023 PEN America Freedom to Write Index, with 19 writers imprisoned, as the government increasingly clamped down on free expression.

Authorities arrest and imprison writers for making critical statements against the Vietnamese government which is criminalized as “propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the 2015 Vietnam Penal Code. 

Vietnamese courts have upheld the trend of lengthy imprisonment despite condemnations from the United Nation Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and human rights organizations.

Individual Cases

  • Nguyen Vu Binh

    Status:

    A former state media journalist, Binh left his post in 2001 to form his own pro-democracy political party. He was… More


  • Pham Chi Dung

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    Founder of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam, Pham was arrested in November 2019 for articles he wrote criticizing human… More


  • Pham Doan Trang

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    A blogger, democracy activist, and non-fiction author, Trang resigned from the Liberal Publishing House in July 2020, citing security threats.… More


  • Le Huu Minh Tuan

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    Le Tuan has written critically of government policies and in support of democracy. He was arrested in June 2020 under… More


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2024 Barbey/Freedom to Write Award Video: Phạm Đoan Trang

Phạm Đoan Trang received the 2024 PEN Barbey/Freedom Award at the organization’s annual literary gala on May 16, 2024. Phạm Đoan Trang is a Vietnamese writer, publisher, journalist, and pro-democracy activist currently imprisoned in Vietnam due to her writings in support of human rights.

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