The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) and Defend the Defenders (DtD) have jointly called on the Vietnamese government to immediately release author Nguyễn Thành Nam and others arrested in connection with his book, describing the case as part of a broader assault on literary freedom and freedom of expression in the country.
Mr. 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, which examines the life of President Ho Chi Minh, "distorts history" and "insults" revolutionary leaders. The arrest follows an extensive online denunciation campaign reportedly coordinated through the Communist Party's Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee, drawing comparisons to the Nhan Van–Giai Pham campaign of the late 1950s when many intellectuals were persecuted.
The crackdown has extended beyond the author, with editors, printers, and distributors reportedly detained or investigated, and members of the Vietnam Writers' Association facing disciplinary measures. The two organizations argue that the prosecution constitutes a serious assault on freedom of expression, which is guaranteed under Vietnam's Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a party.
The case highlights the continued use of Article 117 to prosecute peaceful expression, a provision that international human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized for being broadly worded and used to imprison government critics. The groups urge Vietnamese authorities to release all detainees, drop charges, and bring domestic laws into compliance with international human rights standards.
