VHRN & DTD: Vietnamese Communist Regime’s Crackdown On And Imprisonment Of Writers
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK AND DEFEND THE DEFENDERS REGARDING THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST REGIME’S CRACKDOWN ON AND IMPRISONMENT OF WRITERS
PRESS RELEASE
Westminster, August 04, 2026
In late June, Vietnamese authorities arrested Mr. Nguyễn Thành Nam, author of the book Chuyện với Thanh – Lời kể mới về ánh sáng (Conversations with Thanh – A New Perspective on Light), which examines the life and legacy of the late President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of Vietnam’s current one-party political system.
Mr. Nam, a lecturer in Ho Chi Minh Thought at the private VinUniversity, was charged under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Penal Code with “conducting propaganda against the State.” According to the authorities, the book “distorts history and the guidelines and policies of the Party and State” and “insults President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and other Party and State leaders.”
Prior to his arrest, Mr. Nam was the subject of an extensive public criticism campaign on social media, during which he was accused of insulting Ho Chi Minh and other communist leaders through his literary portrayal of historical figures. Reports indicate that The Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee coordinated this campaign. The campaign has drawn comparisons to earlier periods in Vietnam’s history, including the Nhan Van-Giai Pham affair, during which numerous well-known writers and artists faced state condemnation and prolonged restrictions because of their views and creative works.
In addition to Mr. Nam’s arrest, several individuals reportedly involved in the editing, printing, distribution, and promotion of the book have also been detained under similar charges. At the same time, members of the Vietnam Writers’ Association have reportedly been subjected to disciplinary measures of varying degrees.
The Vietnam Human Rights Network and Defend the Defenders are deeply concerned by these developments. The publication of a literary work and the peaceful expression of opinions fall within the scope of the right to freedom of expression, as protected under the Constitution of Vietnam and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a State Party.
Measures taken against Mr. Nam and others in connection with the publication of this book raise serious concerns regarding Vietnam’s obligations under international human rights law, including the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We call on the Vietnamese authorities to review these cases in accordance with their constitutional and international legal obligations, to withdraw the charges against Mr. Nguyễn Thành Nam and the other individuals involved, and to secure their prompt release. We further urge the authorities to ensure that writers, publishers, and artists can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of intimidation, retaliation, or criminal prosecution, consistent with Vietnam’s commitments under international human rights instruments.
