The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) and Defend the Defenders (DtD) have jointly called for the immediate release of author Nguyễn Thành Nam and others detained in connection with his book, describing the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on freedom of expression in Vietnam.
Nam, a former lecturer on Ho Chi Minh Thought at VinUniversity, was arrested in late June and charged under Article 117 of Vietnam's Penal Code with "conducting propaganda against the State." Authorities allege his book, Chuyện với Thanh - Lời kể mới về ánh sáng (Conversations with Thanh – A New Perspective on Light), distorts history and insults President Ho Chi Minh and other leaders.
The organizations claim that Nam's arrest was preceded by an online denunciation campaign orchestrated by state-affiliated commentators and coordinated through the Communist Party's Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee. They draw parallels to the Nhan Van–Giai Pham campaign of the late 1950s, which persecuted intellectuals for independent views.
The crackdown extends beyond the author, with editors, printers, distributors, and promoters of the book reportedly detained or investigated. Members of the Vietnam Writers' Association have also faced disciplinary measures.
"The criminal prosecution of an author and those involved in publishing a literary work represents a serious assault on freedom of expression," the organizations stated. "Peaceful discussion of history, public figures, and political ideas must never be treated as a criminal offense."
Nam's writing and publication are protected under Article 25 of Vietnam's Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a party. The groups argue the arrests violate these commitments.
The case highlights the continued use of Article 117 to prosecute peaceful expression, a practice international human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized for being broadly worded and used to imprison government critics.
The organizations urge Vietnamese authorities to unconditionally release Nam and all others detained, drop all charges, and end public intimidation campaigns. They also call for domestic laws to comply with Vietnam's international human rights obligations.
This incident underscores the risks faced by writers and publishers in Vietnam, where literary works can lead to criminal prosecution under vaguely defined laws.
