Vietnamese Journalist Le Anh Hung Arrested on Propaganda Charges

Vietnamese authorities have detained journalist Le Anh Hung for a second time, charging him with “propagandizing against the state,” in what press freedom advocates describe as another troubling case in the country’s ongoing crackdown on independent media.

Police arrested Hung on March 9 at a friend’s residence in central Dak Lak province, according to multiple news reports and documentation from Project 88, a rights organization that tracks Vietnamese political prisoners. The state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper confirmed that authorities have charged Hung under Article 117 of Vietnam’s penal code, an offense that carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.

“Vietnamese authorities must release Le Anh Hung immediately and drop all charges against him,” said Shawn Crispin, senior Southeast Asia representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “Le Anh Hung never should have been imprisoned the first time, and detaining and charging him again is a gross affront to press freedom.”

This marks Hung’s second imprisonment in recent years. The independent journalist, who contributes to outlets like Thien Dan and maintains his own blog, was previously detained in 2018. During that incarceration, authorities shuttled him between prison facilities and a psychiatric hospital before convicting him in 2022 under Article 331 of Vietnam’s penal code, which criminalizes the abuse of “democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State.”

His treatment during that detention raised serious human rights concerns. According to Radio Free Asia reporting and Hung’s communications with CPJ, the journalist endured severe mistreatment while in custody. Reports indicate he was physically assaulted with a metal chair, forcibly restrained to a bed, and subjected to involuntary injections of unidentified drugs by staff at a Hanoi mental health facility.

After serving a five-year sentence under these conditions, authorities released Hung on July 5, 2023. His freedom lasted just eight months before this new arrest and more serious charges.

Hung has established himself as a vocal critic of Vietnamese government policies through his journalistic work and writings. Beyond his contributions to independent media platforms, he has authored books including the self-published “Power and the Control of Power in Societies.” He previously contributed to Voice of America (VOA), a U.S. Congress-funded international broadcasting service.

The journalist is also affiliated with the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam, an organization operating outside Vietnam’s state-controlled media apparatus. This association has faced significant government pressure, with several members, including founder Pham Chi Dung, receiving lengthy prison sentences.

Vietnam maintains one of the world’s most restrictive environments for press freedom. The one-party state tightly controls traditional media outlets and has increasingly targeted independent voices operating online. According to CPJ data, Vietnam currently holds at least 17 journalists behind bars, placing it among the world’s worst jailers of media workers.

The country’s use of broadly-worded national security laws to silence critics has drawn repeated condemnation from international human rights organizations. Articles 117 and 331 of Vietnam’s penal code are frequently deployed against journalists, bloggers, and activists who publish content authorities deem critical of the government.

When contacted about Hung’s case, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request for comment.

Media freedom advocates warn that Hung’s re-arrest signals a continuation of Vietnam’s harsh approach toward independent journalism, with authorities showing little tolerance for voices operating outside state control, particularly those with connections to international media organizations.