Defend the Defenders, July 8, 2026
Prominent higher-education lecturer and former hi-tech specialist Nguyen Thanh Nam has been arrested and accused of “conducting anti-state propaganda” amid rising power of police forces in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s state-controlled media on July 7 reported that the Police Department in Hanoi has detained Russia-trained mathematics doctor Nam, born in 1961 on the allegation according to Article 117 of the country’s Criminal Code which is often used to silence political critics.
Mr. Nam, a son of a senior government official, was alleged to defame late President Ho Chi Minh who founded the communist regime in Vietnam in 1945 and led the northern Vietnam until his death in 1969.
Particularly, Nam was accused to have provided false information about the communist leader in his novel named “Stories of Thanh” (Chuyện của Thanh) in which he wrote about the regime’s founder using modern words young people in the country are using daily.
In the book which was highly evaluated by many Vietnamese intellectuals including senior officials of the state-controlled Viet Nam Writers’ Association in its launch, Nam praised Ho with small different explanation compared to the official version about the late leader’s life and activities from early 20th century when he left the country to France as a cook in a trade ship until his death.
After obtaining the highest degree in mathematics in Russia, Nam returned in Vietnam and formed the country’s largest IT corporation named FPT together with a few IT experts.
After leaving FPT’s Board of Directors, he took part in forming FUNiX, an innovative digital university and a member of FPT Education. He also held the position Vice President of the FPT University’s Board of Directors. He teaches Ho Chi Minh Ideology in the educational unit.
According to many political critics, Nam has never been against the authoritarian regime and its founding leader in Vietnam, even though he always praises him. However, his version about the late leader is not pleased the hard-line officials and supporters in the Southeast Asian nation who always treat Ho Chi Minh as a saint.
A prominent political dissident who is also a senior communist official, told Defend the Defender that political suppression is being escalated after former Minister of Public Security To Lam became the regime’s General Secretary cum State President and has been appointing many police generals and officials from his native province of Hung Yen to key positions of the ruling Communist Party and its state apparatus.
“The arrest of author Nguyen Thanh Nam by the police regime is more serious than the political suppression of the uprising intellectuals in mid-20th century because his book is purely literary work without political purpose,” said the dissident who wants to remain anonymity for security reason.
“Criminalizing a literary work which is no more than civil or administrative issue and imprisoning its author are more cruel than the punishment in the Middle Age. Vietnamese people and the international community should condemn Hanoi’s move in this case,” he noted.
Vietnam’s authoritarian regime often uses allegations “conducting anti-state propaganda” and “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the Criminal Code to silence political dissidents and Facebookers although many democratic governments have called on Hanoi to remove them from the code.
Hundreds of political activists and human rights defenders have been sentenced to between five and 19 years in prison for violating Articles 117 and 331 although the country’s Constitution 2013 grants freedom of expression of citizens and Vietnam is a party member of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
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July 13, 2026
Pro-regime educator accused of “conducting anti-state propaganda” as police strengthen power
by Defend the Defenders • [Human Rights]
Defend the Defenders, July 8, 2026
Prominent higher-education lecturer and former hi-tech specialist Nguyen Thanh Nam has been arrested and accused of “conducting anti-state propaganda” amid rising power of police forces in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s state-controlled media on July 7 reported that the Police Department in Hanoi has detained Russia-trained mathematics doctor Nam, born in 1961 on the allegation according to Article 117 of the country’s Criminal Code which is often used to silence political critics.
Mr. Nam, a son of a senior government official, was alleged to defame late President Ho Chi Minh who founded the communist regime in Vietnam in 1945 and led the northern Vietnam until his death in 1969.
Particularly, Nam was accused to have provided false information about the communist leader in his novel named “Stories of Thanh” (Chuyện của Thanh) in which he wrote about the regime’s founder using modern words young people in the country are using daily.
In the book which was highly evaluated by many Vietnamese intellectuals including senior officials of the state-controlled Viet Nam Writers’ Association in its launch, Nam praised Ho with small different explanation compared to the official version about the late leader’s life and activities from early 20th century when he left the country to France as a cook in a trade ship until his death.
After obtaining the highest degree in mathematics in Russia, Nam returned in Vietnam and formed the country’s largest IT corporation named FPT together with a few IT experts.
After leaving FPT’s Board of Directors, he took part in forming FUNiX, an innovative digital university and a member of FPT Education. He also held the position Vice President of the FPT University’s Board of Directors. He teaches Ho Chi Minh Ideology in the educational unit.
According to many political critics, Nam has never been against the authoritarian regime and its founding leader in Vietnam, even though he always praises him. However, his version about the late leader is not pleased the hard-line officials and supporters in the Southeast Asian nation who always treat Ho Chi Minh as a saint.
A prominent political dissident who is also a senior communist official, told Defend the Defender that political suppression is being escalated after former Minister of Public Security To Lam became the regime’s General Secretary cum State President and has been appointing many police generals and officials from his native province of Hung Yen to key positions of the ruling Communist Party and its state apparatus.
“The arrest of author Nguyen Thanh Nam by the police regime is more serious than the political suppression of the uprising intellectuals in mid-20th century because his book is purely literary work without political purpose,” said the dissident who wants to remain anonymity for security reason.
“Criminalizing a literary work which is no more than civil or administrative issue and imprisoning its author are more cruel than the punishment in the Middle Age. Vietnamese people and the international community should condemn Hanoi’s move in this case,” he noted.
Vietnam’s authoritarian regime often uses allegations “conducting anti-state propaganda” and “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the Criminal Code to silence political dissidents and Facebookers although many democratic governments have called on Hanoi to remove them from the code.
Hundreds of political activists and human rights defenders have been sentenced to between five and 19 years in prison for violating Articles 117 and 331 although the country’s Constitution 2013 grants freedom of expression of citizens and Vietnam is a party member of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).