The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) and Defend the Defenders (DtD) have 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 crackdown on freedom of expression and literary freedom in Vietnam.
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 that his book, which concerns the life of late President Ho Chi Minh, distorts history and insults President Ho Chi Minh and other leaders.
According to the organizations, the arrest was preceded by an online denunciation campaign coordinated through the Communist Party's Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee. They draw comparisons to the Nhan Van–Giai Pham campaign of the late 1950s, when many prominent writers were persecuted for independent views.
The crackdown has expanded beyond the author, with several individuals involved in editing, printing, publishing, distributing, and promoting 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 said in a joint statement. "Peaceful discussion of history, public figures, and political ideas must never be treated as a criminal offense."
VNHRN and DtD argue that Mr. Nam's writing and publication constitute the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, guaranteed by Article 25 of Vietnam's Constitution and protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a state party. They assert that the arrests and denunciation campaign are inconsistent with Vietnam's obligations under the ICCPR and with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The organizations urge Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, drop all charges, end public intimidation campaigns, and ensure domestic laws comply with international human rights commitments.
This case has drawn renewed attention to Vietnam's use of Article 117 to prosecute peaceful expression. International human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the provision, arguing it is routinely used to imprison journalists, writers, activists, and other government critics.
