International writers’ group urges Vietnam to stop harassing activist

By RFA Vietnamese2024.10.22

Read more on this topic in Vietnamese

A global free speech group is calling on Vietnam to end its intimidation of Dang Thi Hue, an activist and social media campaigner who has been critical of the government.

Hue was arrested in October 2019 for protesting about illegal toll booths and sentenced to 42 months in prison for “disturbing public order” and property fraud. The sentence was reduced by three months on appeal.

Since she was freed in January 2023, Hue has continued to criticize the government on Facebook.

In May this year, she was grabbed off the street by six people, one in police uniform, all of which was captured on a nearby resident’s security camera.

Hue was interrogated for more than 24 hours about her Facebook posts, ordered to stop criticizing the government on social media and told to stop helping political prisoners and their families.

“The persecution of Dang Thi Hue is a stark reminder of the risks faced by those in Vietnam who dare to speak out and challenge the government’s authoritarian rule,” said PEN America Research and Advocacy Manager Anh-Thu Vo on Monday.

“No one should be subjected to threats or reprisals for expressing their views, online or offline,” she added, calling on the U.S. government and other “key state partners” to make freedom of expression a priority in talks with Vietnam and push Hanoi to release political prisoners and stop harassing its critics.

Vietnam was the world’s third largest jailer of writers in 2023, according to PEN America’s Freedom to Write Index.

Radio Free Asia emailed Vietnam’s foreign ministry to ask for a comment on PEN’s statement but received no response.

Forced off Facebook

Hue has posted hundreds of articles and broadcast many live streams on Facebook in recent months criticizing corruption and calling for support for the families of prisoners of conscience.

To avoid harassment and rearrest, Hue has gone into hiding and she told Radio Free Asia that Thai Binh provincial police have questioned her relatives and friends to try to track her down.

“I think my activities are becoming more and more public and are receiving strong support from the people in Vietnam, including farmers and workers, the weak and powerless,” Hue told RFA Vietnamese on Tuesday.

“The more widespread my activities are, the more the communist government’s repression of me increases.”

Hue said Facebook has deleted posts, blocked access and shut down four of her accounts with a total 50,000 followers following pressure from the government.

Facebook had not responded to RFA’s request for comment on Hue’s complaints at time of publication.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.