Vietnam: CFWIJ demands journalist Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu’s immediate release

May 11, 2021, Phu Yen – Independent journalist Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of writing anti-state stories on her social media accounts. The court convicted the journalist of violating Article 117 of the Vietnamese penal code for “creating, storing and disseminating information and materials against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the unjust prison sentence against Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu. This trial is a pivotal example of the escalating threats to press freedom in the country. We urge the Vietnamese court to reevaluate the case against the journalist.

On April 23, the People’s Court in Phu Yen province sentenced journalist Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu to eight years in prison for conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 117 of the Criminal Code on April 23. 

Tuyet Dieu, a former state-run newspaper reporter, was arrested on August 21, 2020, for running a Facebook page called Tuyết Babel and YouTube channel Tuyết Diệu Trện. The indictment stated that she used her social media accounts to spread 25 news reports and nine videos allegedly against the state. She was also restricted from meeting with her attorney for three months during her detention from August to November 2020.

According to Defend the Defenders, Tuyet’s trial was scheduled for March 22, but court officials abruptly canceled the hearing without explanation. The journalist’s lawyer, Nguyen Kha Thanh, explained that when he arrived at the courthouse, he was informed that the trial against Tuyet Dieu was rescheduled at the last minute.

The 88 Project, an advocacy group that monitors the situation of Vietnamese political prisoners, pointed out that the stories Tuyet Dieu revealed mostly covered socio-economic issues on corruption, the environment, and human rights. 

According to the organization, the journalist started discussing political and human rights conditions in Vietnam online while working at state-run Phu Yen Newspaper. During her tenure, she also supported imprisoned activist Nguyen Viet Dung, who was convicted for his political participation. Consequently, the journalist was forced to resign from the newspaper in 2017. However, Tuyet Dieu continued her journalistic coverage through Facebook and other online platforms. 

In the indictment, Tuyet Dieu was accused of setting up and operating Facebook and YouTube accounts that violate state policy, defame the party's leadership, and slander the history of Vietnam. The security forces requested a prison sentence of up to 12 years against the journalist. 

Last year, award-winning journalist Pham Doan Trang was arrested during a raid on her home. The 42-year-old former journalist was charged with the same accusations that targeted Tuyet Dieu f. If convicted, Pham will be sentenced to 20 years in prison. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism finds the verdict as an alarming example of the suppression of free speech in Vietnam. We condemn the prison sentence and demand Vietnamese authorities open an appeal case in support of the journalist. Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu should be acquitted of all unjust charges brought against her. We reiterate that journalism is not a crime and the wrongful persecution of journalists threatens press freedom.