A member of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam, Pham Chi Thanh is the author of several books and essays critical of government leaders. He was arrested on May 21, 2020 under Article 117 for materials against the state and was later temporarily transferred to a psychiatric facility without reason. In July 2021, he was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and five years of probation. He was released in July 2025, ahead of schedule.