Although Article 25 of the Vietnamese constitution ostensibly protects freedom of the press (Constitute Project), the Vietnamese government systematically prosecutes journalists under Articles 88 and 117 of the country's penal code, which prohibit 'Propagating against, distorting and/or defaming the people's administration' and 'making, storing, disseminating or propagandising materials and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam'. These articles - prohibiting propaganda - has been used to imprison over 30 journalists in conditions where mistreatment is common, according to Al Jazeera. 

Additionally, censorship of social media including Facebook, which the Vietnamese government threatened to block in 2020, is also common, as stated by Reporters Without Borders.

Doan Bao Chau, a prominent Vietnamese photojournalist, was interviewed by Reporters Without Borders in 2025 after the Hanoi police announced on March 14 that year that they had an arrest warrant out for him. He said, "My case clearly shows there is absolutely no press freedom in Vietnam. I’ve simply fulfilled my role as a reporter. I care about the suffering of my fellow citizens. I interview them, give them a platform to share their stories, and hope that public pressure might push the government to change course — whether on land seizures, police violence, or the inhumane treatment of prisoners." He called the case against him a "complete fabrication" and "a blatant lie". (Reporters Without Borders)

News websites which discuss sensitive topics such as human rights or corruption within Vietnam are heavily censored or simply blocked, according to the UK Government's 'Country policy and information note: opposition to the state, Vietnam'.

I call on the Vietnamese government to rewrite articles 88 and 117 of their country's penal code to stop deliberately targeting journalists such as Doan on fabricated charges and to release all imprisoned journalists.

Citations:

Image in the public domain, sourced from Wikimedia Commons

"Country policy and information note: opposition to the state, Vietnam, September 2025 (accessible)." gov.uk, His Majesty's Government, 22 Sept. 2025, www.gov.uk/government/publications/vietnam-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-opposition-to-the-state-vietnam-september-2025-accesible Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

Ghani, Faras. "'Fear and paranoia': How Vietnam controls its media." Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera, 20 May 2019, www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/5/20/fear-and-paranoia-how-vietnam-controls-its-media Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

"'My case clearly shows there is absolutely no press freedom in Vietnam,' says persecuted journalist." Reporters Without Borders, 18 Aug. 2025, rsf.org/en/my-case-clearly-shows-there-absolutely-no-press-freedom-vietnam-says-persecuted-journalist. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

"Viet Nam 1992 (rev. 2013)." Constitute Project, 28 Nov. 2013, www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Socialist_Republic_of_Vietnam_2013#s154 Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

"Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Penal Code." The Verification Research, Training and Information Centre, 21 Dec. 1999, www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Vietnam/VN_Penal_Code.pdf Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.