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Crackdown intensifies on journalists in Vietnam

Arrests center on government critics

Pham Viet Dao

Pham Viet Dao

On March 19th, 2014, dissident blogger Pham Viet Dao was charged with "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe the interests of the state" as part of the Vietnamese government's campaign to suppress criticism and dissidence. Dao, a former member of the Cultural Ministry and part of the Vietnam Writers Association, was arrested at his home in Hanoi in June.

Dao has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for his blog posts criticizing the current communist regime. The judge claims that "The defendant's acts are dangerous to the society, causing anxiety among the public and reducing people's trust in the leadership of the (Communist) Party and the state." while Dao maintains that his articles have not had "a bad impact on society." However, he has apologized for any wrongful behavior and his compliance has led the Vietnamese government to give him a softer charge. 


Dao's arrest is one of many in an ongoing crackdown on dissident voices in Vietnam. Other popular bloggers, such as Truong Duy Nhat and Dinh Nhat Uy are also victims of the crackdown. Bob Dietz, Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists says
"These three arrests over the course of a month signal Vietnam's deepening crackdown on online journalists who express dissent," and that  "Vietnam's human rights record continues to be dismal despite its economic success."

The Human Rights Watch,  has also expressed concern over the current censorship crackdown noting that "the Vietnam government systematically suppresses freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and persecutes those who question government policies, expose official corruption, or call for democratic alternatives to one-party rule." The organization has gone on to issue a statement demanding his unconditional and immediate release.

20 March 2014

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