The IPI global network condemns the Vietnamese government’s decision to sentence journalist Nguyen Lan Thang to six years in prison. Judicial authorities must immediately release Nguyen Lan Thang and ensure Vietnamese courts are not used to stifle press freedom. 

Nguyen Lan Thang was convicted on April 12 by the Hanoi People’s Court of spreading “anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the criminal code, which outlaws “creating, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials, items and publications” against the state, according to Radio Free Asia. His trial lasted one day and was closed to the public, according to Voice of America. 

Nguyen Lan Thang, who was a contributor to Radio Free Asia, was arrested at his home in July 2022 for posting 12 “anti-state” videos on Facebook and YouTube, according to Amnesty International. His work documented protests, human rights abuses, and social injustices in Vietnam. 

“Independent journalists in Vietnam are often punished under broad criminal laws for courageously doing their jobs by holding the government accountable for human rights abuses”, IPI Director of Advocacy Amy Brouillette said. “Vietnam must release Nguyen Lan Thang immediately and ensure its courts are not silencing independent media under the guise of national security. The IPI global network stands by Nguyen Lan Thang and all journalists imprisoned in Vietnam.”

Vietnamese authorities have convicted at least 163 people since 2018 for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association, according to Human Rights Watch. In July 2022, journalist Nguyen Hoai Nam was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for criticizing the government’s handling of a corruption case and in March 2022, journalist Le Van Dung was handed a five-year prison sentence for spreading “anti-state propaganda”, according to IPI monitoring data.