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August 18, 2025 – Vietnam –
In a powerful and revealing interview, independent journalist Doan Bao Chau declares: “My case clearly shows there is no press freedom in Vietnam.” Speaking to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), he asserts that the charges leveled against him are entirely fabricated and politically motivated. According to Chau, authorities accused him—in a message delivered to his wife—of leading the so‑called “Vinh Long State Party,” a claim he firmly rejects. He insists, “I have never been involved in any political party,” affirming instead that the real issue is his journalistic work: highlighting injustice, state abuses, and public suffering.
Chau explains that his reporting has focused on sensitive topics such as land seizure, police violence, and prison conditions—issues that continue to provoke discontent within Vietnamese society. One of the most provocative pieces he produced was a 2021 video interview about the Dong Tam land dispute, in which he spoke with lawyers about the state’s violent military crackdown on a village near Hanoi.
Since mid-2024, Chau has faced escalating harassment by the authorities. He was informed that criminal proceedings were opened against him, placed under an exit ban, and repeatedly warned that his arrest was imminent—prompting him to go into hiding. Police have continued to raid his home and those of his relatives, and his family members—especially his wife and children—have been subjected to ongoing threats.
Chau’s experience reflects a broader climate of repression in Vietnam, where independent journalism is criminalized and severely curtailed. Vietnam consistently ranks among the world’s worst nations for press freedom, highlighted by its dismal position in the RSF World Press Freedom Index. With systematic attempts to intimidate and silence reporters, Chau’s case is emblematic of the broader erosion of media independence.
Chau’s reflections issue a stark warning: in Vietnam, speaking truth to power has become a perilous act. His case underscores the moral courage required to uphold press freedom in a system that punishes inquiry rather than welcomes accountability.
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