The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday urged Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Huynh Ngoc Tuan. Tuan was arrested at his home in Buon Ho town and charged with “propagandizing against the state,” which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative Shawn Crispin decried the arrest:

Huynh Ngoc Tuan’s arrest is a stark reminder of Vietnam’s intolerance for dissent. Tuan’s independent journalism contributes balance to Vietnam’s highly censored public discourse — his detention only deepens the nation’s press freedom crisis. He should be released now. 

Tuan is an independent journalist and writer who frequently posts about Vietnamese politics, international affairs and human rights on his Facebook page. He and his family have long faced government harassment, including home raids, travel restrictions, and the seizure of personal belongings. Moreover, Tuan’s daughter Huynh Thuc Vy was imprisoned for defacing a national flag and said that she was beaten and choked by prison authorities.

There are currently about 40 journalists in prison in Vietnam, where prison maltreatment is widespread. The CPJ’s 2024 prison census lists Vietnam as the seventh-worst jailer of journalists, tying with Iran and Eritrea.

Reporters Without Borders also ranks Vietnam as 173/180 on the press freedom index, stating, “Vietnam’s traditional media are closely controlled by the single party. Independent reporters and bloggers are often jailed, making Vietnam one of the world’s biggest prisons for journalists.” To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, has been cracking down on journalists since his appointment in August 2024.