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Tag: Press Freedom

  • Pham Doan Trang in the US Congress: S.Res. 609: A resolution recognizing widening threats to press freedom and free expression around the world…

    and reaffirming the vital role that a free and independent press plays in combating the growing threat of authoritarianism, countering misinformation and disinformation, documenting human rights abuses, informing local and international audiences about public health crises, and furthering discourse and debate to advance healthy democracies, in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2022.

    Title: S.Res. 609: A resolution recognizing widening threats to press freedom and free expression around the world…
    Publish Date: May 3, 2022
    Publisher: GovTrack.us

    Excerpt:

    117th CONGRESS

    2d Session

    S. RES. 609

    IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

    May 3, 2022

    Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Moran, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

    RESOLUTION

    Recognizing widening threats to press freedom and free expression around the world, and reaffirming the vital role that a free and independent press plays in combating the growing threat of authoritarianism, countering misinformation and disinformation, documenting human rights abuses, informing local and international audiences about public health crises, and furthering discourse and debate to advance healthy democracies, in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2022.

    Whereas Thomas Jefferson, who championed the necessity of a free press for a thriving democratic society, wisely declared, Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.;

    Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in Paris on December 10, 1948, states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”;

    Whereas in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the third day of May of each year to be “World Press Freedom Day”—

    (1) to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom;

    (2) to evaluate press freedom around the world;

    (3) to defend the media against attacks on its independence; and

    (4) to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while working in their profession;

    Whereas the battle for a free press continues to be fought in South and Southeast Asia, where—

    (3) Vietnamese journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan were each sentenced to more than 10 years in prison; and

    (4) Pham Doan Trang, a Vietnamese journalist and writer, following a year in detention, was sentenced to 9 years in prison for anti-state propaganda in a judicial proceeding and imprisonment declared arbitrary by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention;

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  • Vietnam Briefing: Vietnam Sentences Former Citizen Journalist To 5 Years In Prison

    Vietnam Briefing: Vietnam Sentences Former Citizen Journalist To 5 Years In Prison

    The Vietnam Briefing, which is released every Monday morning Vietnam time, looks at Vietnam’s social and political developments of the past week.

    Source:  The Vietnamese Magazine

    Vietnam sentences former citizen journalist to 5 years in prison

    • Le Van Dung, an independent journalist also known by his pen name Le Dung Vova, was sentenced to five years in prison and five years probation for “distributing anti-state materials” under Article 88 of Vietnam’s former 1999 Penal Code during a two-hour trial at the Hanoi’s People Court on March 23.
    • Le Dung Vova runs an independent Youtube channel called “Chan Hung Nuoc Viet TV” (Reinvigorating Vietnam Television). In 2017,  he posted videos and hosted talk shows on the channel discussing various social and political issues. He also nominated himself as an independent candidate in Vietnam’s 2021 National Assembly elections but was eventually disqualified by the Vietnamese authorities.
    • One day before the trial, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned Hanoi’s move to prosecute Le Van Dung and urged Vietnamese authorities to drop all charges and release him. “International donors and trade partners of Vietnam should press Hanoi to listen to its critics instead of persecuting them,” said Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director.
    • Meanwhile, the press freedom advocate Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on March 23 pushed Vietnam to “release journalist Le Van Dung immediately and stop imprisoning members of the press.” “If Vietnam wants to be taken seriously as a responsible global actor, it must stop treating journalists as criminals,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative.

    Vietnam upholds activist’s conviction for “distributing anti-state materials”

    • On March 24, the Nam Dinh Provincial People’s Court upheld activist Do Nam Trung’s conviction for “creating, storing, and disseminating information, documents, items, and publications opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 117 of Vietnam’s 2015 Penal Code.
    • Last December, Trung was sentenced to 10 years in prison and four years of probation for his advocacy of the protection of human rights, the environment and Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty.
    • Meanwhile, Trinh Thi Nhung, wife of local dissident blogger Bui Van Thuan, said that an investigator of the Thanh Hoa Police’s investigation unit threatened to arrest her if she did not limit her posts regarding the activism of Thuan on social media.
    • Previously, Nhung received a police summons on March 16 and was requested to present herself at the provincial police station.
    • The investigator also demanded Nhung provide the verification of the ownership of Thuan’s and her Facebook accounts for their investigation. Nhung said the police later threatened that they had all the evidence to prosecute her after she refused to comply with their demands.
    • Dissident blogger Bui Van Thuan was arrested in 2021 and also prosecuted under Vietnam’s Article 117 for “distributing anti-state propaganda.”  Thuan is now being held in pretrial detention in Thanh Hoa Province.

    Family of land rights activist Can Thi Theu allowed to visit her in prison

    • On March 24, the family of the Duong Noi land activist Can Thi Theu was allowed to visit her after she was transferred from Hoa Binh provincial police’s detention center to Thanh Hoa’s Camp 5 prison last month, according to her daughter Trinh Thi Thao. Theu had not been allowed to write, call or visit her family for a total of 21 months, Thao added.
    • Thao wrote that Theu’s overall health remained stable, but she looked skinnier since the first instance trial. She also added that her mother was subject to different types of mental and physical torture while in custody at the Hoa Binh provincial police detention center.
    • According to Thao, the torture methods deployed by Vietnamese authorities included the isolation of her mother with HIV-infected prisoners, sending her to solitary confinement with unbearable conditions, and depriving her of basic necessities while in detention.
    • Thao added that Trinh Ba Tu had been beaten in custody and was on hunger strike for 20 days.
    • Meanwhile, Do Thi Thu, wife of Trinh Ba Phuong, was allowed to visit her husband earlier on March 8. According to Thu, Phuong’s health remains in good condition and he received the single dose Russian-made COVID-19 Sputnik Light vaccine last December.

    Vietnam abstains from United Nations’ resolution calling to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine

    • On March 24, 140 members of the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution drafted by Ukraine and its allies to provide aid access and civilian protection in the country after Moscow invaded its neighbor one month ago.
    • One the one hand, Vietnam’s foreign ministry previously said in a press statement that the country “will support and contribute to UN humanitarian relief activities for Ukraine” in accordance with its permitted capabilities.
    • At the UN’s special session on March 23, Vietnamese Permanent Representative Dang Hoang Giang also reaffirmed Hanoi’s promise to join the effort of the international community in its humanitarian support for Ukraine.
    • Yet, Vietnam remained one of 38 countries that abstained from voting for the UN resolution on March 24 calling to facilitate such humanitarian assistance and operations.
    • It was also one of 35 countries on March 2 that did not vote in favor of the resolution to condemn Moscow’s aggression and demanded it to withdraw its troops.
    • According to The Vietnamese Magazine’s observations, state-owned media in Vietnam has largely avoided mentioning the country’s abstention of the UN General Assembly’s call to address the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

    Ukrainian fundraising event in Hanoi canceled by police

    RFA:

    • Vietnamese police on March 18 prevented Ukrainians in Hanoi from holding a fundraiser  to help those affected by Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, the event organizers said.
    • The organizers planned to sell food and souvenirs and hold an art auction to raise money to send to Ukrainians affected by the war. They also arranged a musical performance to entertain visitors.
    • But authorities informed them on Friday that the event to be held at the Chula Fashion House in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District had to be canceled because of “police intervention.” They provided no further details. The district is known for hosting small fashion shows, musical performances and art exhibitions.
    • “We are very sad now as we have spent time and effort to prepare for the event,” a Ukrainian organizer who only gave her name as Julia told RFA. “We did all these things in order to raise funds for people in need in our home country.”

    Vietnam arrests businesswoman turned YouTube sensation for her live streaming

    RFA:

    • The Ho Chi Minh City’s Public Security Department arrested businesswoman and social media influencer Nguyen Phuong Hang for live streaming videos critical of celebrities and other figures, police announced Thursday.
    • Hang, the director of a local amusement theme park Dai Nam, was detained last Friday on charges of “abusing freedom and democratic rights” under Article 331 of Vietnam’s 2015 Penal Code. Police said they arrested Hang for “insulting and using foul language to offend the honor and dignity of others” on her popular YouTube channel.
    • Hang’s videos criticizing celebrities and politicians have made her an internet sensation in Vietnam, with each post garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
    • The law used to prosecute Hang has also been widely deployed to silence dissenting voices and restrict freedom of speech in the country.

    China has fully militarized at least three artificial islands in the South China Sea, says U.S. Admiral

    • China has fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed South China Sea, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino told The Associated Press.
    • The Admiral added that Beijing had also been arming them with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, lasers, jamming equipment, and fighter jets.
    • “I think over the past 20 years we’ve witnessed the largest military buildup since World War II by the PRC,” Aquilino said. “They have advanced all their capabilities and that buildup of weaponization is destabilizing to the region.”

    Vietnam Insight: Learn more about Vietnam

    Webinar: Vietnamese Civil Society: Recent Challenges and Prospects

    Date: April 07, 2022
    Time: GMT+8 10:00 am – 11:00 am
    About: This webinar will present examples of civil society actions over the past decade and examine prospects for Vietnamese civil society’s survival and effectiveness. To what extent is civil society facing temporary setbacks, or a permanent reversal? And absent high-level policy changes, what can Vietnamese civic actors and their supporters do to remain viable in an era of Party dominance?

    Ukraine conflict echoes loudest in Vietnam, not Taiwan

    Nikkei Asia/ Derek Grossman/ March 21

    “A fellow socialist state ruled by an authoritarian Communist Party, Hanoi is under growing pressure from China, particularly around overlapping sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. While China has not threatened an invasion of Vietnam like Russia’s of Ukraine, sometimes deadly maritime skirmishes between the two Asian countries have taken place. It is not unthinkable that an incident at sea could spill over onto land, disrupting the decadeslong peace at their shared border. To the contrary, such a scenario is more likely than an invasion of Taiwan any time soon.”

    Explaining the Vietnamese Public’s Mixed Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis

    The Diplomat/ To Minh Son/ March 18

    “One thing unites these public opinions and the state: The idea of “independence,” an animating yet open-ended concept in the Vietnamese psyche. Critics of the war attach the concept to ASEAN’s non-interference principle, respect of sovereignty, and the precedent it sets for Chinese aggression, while supporters refer to Vietnam’s “four no’s” principle, “national interest,” “bamboo diplomacy,” and American hypocrisy. These talking points proliferate as the conflict rages on, with each new statement by the Vietnamese state voraciously shared and reinterpreted by supporters and detractors alike.”

    The Greening of Vietnam and Environmentalism 2.0

    Geopolitical Monitor/ James Borton/ February 28

    “Vietnam’s fast-track economic growth over the past several decades arrived at the expense of the environment, leading to polluted waterways, extensive loss of wildlife, marine biodiversity, and a near collapse of the fisheries. A global environmental performance ranking places Vietnam in 141st place out of 180 economies.”

    💡
    More from The Vietnamese Magazine.

  • Pham Doan Trang in Human Rights Watch Submission to the European Union ahead of the EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue

    The Vietnamese government continues to severely repress basic civil and political rights, including freedom of expression, association, assembly, and the right to freedom of religion and belief.  One of the many politically motivated convictions is that of prominent journalists and Luat Khoa’s co-founder Pham Doan Trang who has been served with a 9 year sentence for “anti-state propaganda.”

    Excerpt:

    As the human rights dialogue approaches, Human Rights Watch recommends that the EU focuses on three priority areas regarding the dire human rights situation in Vietnam: 1) political prisoners and detainees; 2) restrictions on freedom of movement; and 3) repression of the right to freely practice freedom of religion and belief. We urge that the EU insist on clear, concrete, measurable benchmarks or deliverables for progress in these areas, laying out consequences for the bilateral relations should these violations continue to occur, taking into account the recently revised EU guidelines on human rights dialogues with partner/third countries.

    1. Political Prisoners and Detainees

    Vietnam frequently uses vaguely worded and loosely interpreted provisions in its penal code and other laws to prosecute and imprison political and religious activists. These include “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” (article 109), “undermining the unity policy” (article 116), “making, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” (article 117)/or “conducting propaganda against the state” (article 88 of the 1999 penal code), and “disrupting security” (article 118). Vietnam also uses other articles in the penal code to target rights campaigners, including “abusing the rights to democracy and freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations, individuals” (article 331), and “disrupting public order” (article 318).

    Vietnam currently holds at least 153 political prisoners. In 2021 alone, the courts convicted at least 38 people for voicing criticism of the government and sentenced them to long prison terms.

    In January 2021, a Ho Chi Minh City court put prominent members of the Independent Journalists Association on trial. Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan were convicted and sentenced to between 11 and 15 years in prison. In May, a court in Hoa Binh province sentenced land rights activist Can Thi Theu and her son Trinh Ba Tu each to eight years in prison. In July, a Hanoi court convicted writer Pham Chi Thanh and sentenced him to five years and six months in prison. In October, a court in Can Tho convicted and sentenced five members of the Clean Newspaper – Truong Chau Huu Danh, Doan Kien Giang, Le The Thang, Nguyen Phuoc Trung Bao, and Nguyen Thanh Nha – to between two years and four and a half years in prison. In December, courts sentenced prominent blogger Pham Doan Trang to nine years, land rights activists Trinh Ba Phuong to 10 years and Nguyen Thi Tam to six years, democracy campaigner Do Nam Trung to 10 years, and independent political candidate Le Trong Hung to five years in prison. All were charged with propaganda against the state under article 117 (or article 88), or with abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state under article 331, of the penal code.

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    Human Rights Watch Submission to the European Union ahead of the EU Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue Human Rights Watch
    Human Rights Watch Submission to the European Union ahead of the EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue _ Human Rights Watch.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in VOA Tiếng Việt: Phạm Đoan Trang sẽ được Đệ Nhất Phu nhân Mỹ vinh danh ‘Phụ nữ Can đảm Quốc tế 2022’

    Acclaimed Vietnamese journalist and human rights defender Pham Doan Trang is one of the 12 International Women of Courage for 2022.  Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, will bestow the recognition in an online award ceremony to be held this March 14.

    Excerpt:

    Note:  Original texts in Vietnamese.

    Independent journalist Pham Doan Trang, who is being held by the Vietnamese government, will be honored by Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, in honor of International Women of Courage 2022, along with 11 other women around the world.

    The online award ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Washington time on March 14, chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to the US State Department’s announcement.

    Journalist Pham Doan Trang, currently serving a nine-year prison term for “Propaganda against the State”, will be named by First Lady Jill Biden, recognizing her outstanding “courageous achievement”.

    Pham Doan Trang is an internationally recognized author, blogger, journalist and human rights defender who, through her writings and interviews, uses well-researched legal arguments. to advocate for human rights, the rule of law, and to bring every voice into political spaces in Vietnam,” the State Department said in a statement.

    Pham Doan Trang is an author and co-founder of many community service organizations that focus on expanding political participation and promoting human rights, good governance, and access to justice. As a journalist, she boldly reported on social issues that the Vietnamese press had never mentioned before, according to the US State Department.

    Download article in Vietnamese:

    Pham oan Trang se uoc e Nhat Phu nhan My vinh danh Phu nu Can am Quoc te 2022
    Phạm Đoan Trang sẽ được Đệ Nhất Phu nhân Mỹ vinh danh ‘Phụ nữ Can đảm Quốc tế 2022’.pdf
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    Pham Doan Trang will be honored by the First Lady of the United States as International Women of Courage 2022
    Pham Doan Trang will be honored by the First Lady of the United States as _International Women of Courage 2022_.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in SWI: Las periodistas encarceladas nunca había sido tantas como ahora, 62

    In a report by RSF, there are at least 62 women journalists who are languishing in prison, including Pham Doan Trang.  Vietnam’s prominent journalist is known for her peaceful activism by authoring several books on law and co-founding Luat Khoa Tap Chi (Journal of Law.)

    Excerpt:

    Note:  Original texts in Spanish.

    The number of women journalists imprisoned for their work in the world today, 62, has never been so high and that “in extremely harsh conditions,” reported Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday.

    This figure represents a growth of 38% compared to the data registered a year ago, indicated RSF, which explained that this increase is due “mainly to three authoritarian regimes”, China, Belarus and Burma.

    All three have toughened their crackdown on a profession in which women are increasingly numerous.

    In addition to these three regimes, in Vietnam there are 3 women detained like Pham Doan Trang, winner of an RSF award and sentenced to nine years in prison for “propaganda against the state”.

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    There have never been more jailed women journalists than now 62 SWI swissinfoch
    There have never been more jailed women journalists than now, 62 – SWI swissinfo.ch.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in Radio Free Asia: Vietnam’s crackdown target: citizens who can inspire others

    The Vietnamese Communist Party has been arresting dissidents, including independent journalists, religious figures, land rights activists and environmentalists- generally, anyone who can mobilize and influence their fellow citizens.  

    Excerpt:

    The political activist Pham Doan Trang, who was arrested in October 2020, was a particular headache for the Vietnamese government as she was not philosophically inclined in her writing. Instead, she communicated Vietnamese laws, constitutional rights, and procedures in ways that ordinary people could understand. She exposed how the government violated its own laws, garnering her a large following. She’s now serving a nine-year sentence for spreading “propaganda against the state.”

    That Mother Mushroom and Pham Doan Trang had won multiple foreign awards and had deep international networks of support only amplified their voices at home. International recognition raised concerns of foreign interference amongst the conservative party elite.

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    Vietnams crackdown target citizens who can inspire others Radio Free Asia
    Vietnam’s crackdown target_ citizens who can inspire others — Radio Free Asia.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in One Free Press Coalition’s 10 Most Urgent, March 2022

    Pham Doan Trang in One Free Press Coalition’s 10 Most Urgent, March 2022

    Embattled journalist and human rights defender Pham Doan Trang is listed as one of the most urgent cases of women journalists facing harassment, injustice and press freedom issues.

    Excerpt:

    Ahead of International Women’s Day observed on March 8, the One Free Press Coalition in partnership with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) are highlighting 10 cases of women journalists who have faced retaliation or threats because of their reporting.

    While some of the threats faced by these journalists are widespread press freedom issues, women journalists face unique challenges. In particular, women  journalists face a greater amount of harassment online, as well as workplace harassment, with IWMF estimating that a third of female journalists have considered changing jobs because of threats. A 2020 UNESCO report found that globally 73% of women journalists had faced online harassment, which in some cases turned into physical threats and had serious impacts on mental health.

    6. Pham Doan Trang (Vietnam)

    In December, Vietnamese authorities sentenced journalist Trang to nine years in prison. Trang covers human rights topics, including police abuses and environmental issues. Trang has faced harassment in the past for her reporting. Days before her arrest in October 2020, Trang released a letter titled, “Just in case I am imprisoned.”

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    10 Most Urgent March 2022 One Free Press Coalition
    10 Most Urgent, March 2022 — One Free Press Coalition.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in VOA Tiếng Việt: Việt Nam phản đối Anh, Canada trao giải cho nhà báo bất đồng chính kiến

    Vietnam opposes Britain, Canada awarding dissident journalist

    Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi, Pham Thu Hang said that Vietnam objected to the Media Freedom Award given to acclaimed journalist Pham Doan Trang by the British and Canadian Foreign Ministries, stating that the prominent human rights activist has “violated Vietnamese law.”  Furthermore, the Spokesperson also said that the Ms. Trang’s recognition is “not conducive to the development of bilateral relations with Vietnam.”

    Excerpt:

    Note:  Original texts in Vietnamese.

    The British and Canadian governments announced the awarding of the 2022 Media Freedom Award to Trang, Vietnam’s most famous dissident journalist, at the Press Freedom Conference in Tallinn, Estonia, on February 10. This is the latest award for Trang, who is internationally recognized for her work fighting for democracy in a Vietnam where there is little freedom of the press and is often criticized for its poor human rights record.

    Responding to this, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi, Pham Thu Hang, said that the British and Canadian Foreign Ministry’s handing the award to Ms. Trang, whom the Vietnamese government considers “a violative individual” who has been “breaking the law”, is a “partial” and “inappropriate” action.

    Responding to a reporter’s request for comment on the awarding, Hang said on February 18 that the 44-year-old dissident journalist had been “arrested and tried for several times in serious violation of the law.”

    Ms. Trang was arrested in October 2020 and sentenced to nine years in prison for “Propaganda against the state” last December. Western governments, including the US, and international human rights organizations have voiced their objections to the Vietnamese government’s conviction.

    According to the deputy spokeswoman of BNG Vietnam, Ms. Trang has “contacted organizations and individuals abroad, published illegal publications with content to propagate, guide, and incite activities to overthrow the people’s government.” Ms. Hang said this behavior was “dangerous to society.”

    In addition to co-founding Luat Khoa Magazine, an independent journalistic form in Vietnam, Trang is also the author of many books banned from being published in the country, including “Popular Politics” and “Protesting non-violence.” Before her arrest, Ms. Trang and Mr. Will Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American citizen who had been detained in Vietnam, published the Dong Tam Report, which outlined the “human rights violations” of the Hanoi government in the past year; a deadly raid because of a land dispute between the authorities and the people of Dong Tam village.

    British Secretary of State Lord Ahmad called Ms. Trang a “brave human rights defender of Vietnam” while the Canadian Foreign Ministry called the jailed Vietnamese journalist “a supporter of human rights and the rule of law”, during the awarding of the imprisoned Vietnamese democracy activist.

    BNG Vietnam’s deputy spokesman on February 18 warned that the awarding by the British and Canadian Foreign Ministries to Ms. Trang would be “not conducive to the development of bilateral relations with Vietnam.”

    Download the article in Vietnamese:

    Viet Nam phan oi Anh Canada trao giai cho nha bao bat ong chinh kien
    Việt Nam phản đối Anh, Canada trao giải cho nhà báo bất đồng chính kiến.pdf
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    Vietnam opposes Britain Canada awarding dissident journalists
    Vietnam opposes Britain, Canada awarding dissident journalists.pdf
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  • Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Phạm Đoan Trang nhận giải thưởng của Anh và Canada dù bị VN cầm tù

    Pham Doan Trang received British and Canadian awards despite being imprisoned by Vietnam.

    Excerpt:

    Note:  Original texts in Vietnamese.

    Canada and the UK awarded the Media Freedom 2022 of the two countries to Vietnamese journalist currently in prison, Ms. Pham Doan Trang.

    The announcement was made by Canadian Minister Melanie Joly and British Secretary of State Lord Ahmad, who is also the representative of the British Prime Minister, at the Press Freedom Conference in Tallinn, Estonia on the afternoon of February 10, 2022. British Foreign Office.

    The British Minister in charge of South Asia and the Commonwealth, and the British Prime Minister’s special envoy, named Ms. Pham Doan Trang:

    “Democracy is under attack around the world, and journalists who shine in those dark corners are paying a heavy price.

    The truth is always worth pursuing and that is why the UK and Canada established the Media Freedom Awards. This award recognizes journalists, individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to promote and protect media freedom.

    I’m pleased to announce that this year’s Media Freedom Award winner is Pham Doan Trang. I congratulate Pham Doan Trang as an award-winning independent journalist and Vietnamese human rights defender.”

    The British Foreign Office website wrote: “Mrs. Trang is known for her books on democracy and articles written on civil society and dissidents in Vietnam. As a rights advocate. people and the rule of law, Ms. Trang has written about important environmental issues. Reporters Without Borders awarded Ms. Trang the 2019 Press Freedom Prize in recognition of this merit.”

    In December 2021, Ms. Trang was sentenced to 9 years in prison for “Propaganda against the State”. She spent 434 days in prison before being sentenced.

    Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada said:

    “Journalists play an essential role in any democracy by illuminating important issues of our time. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank you for your courage. and Ms. Trang’s determination to hold those in power accountable. Canada will continue to fight for media freedom around the world.”

    Previously, on January 19, 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland, the organizers of the Martin Ennals human rights award also named Ms. Pham Doan Trang, as one of the three winners of the 2022 Martin Ennals Prize, also known as “” Nobel Prize for Human Rights”. The organizers describe Ms. Trang as “a leading journalist, editor and democracy activist in Vietnam, where the Communist Party leaves little room for opposition voices to flourish”. .

    Ms. Trang received the Homo Homini Award 2018 from the Czech-based human rights organization People In Need.

    She also received Reporters Without Borders’ 2019 Press Freedom Award in the “Influence” category.

    Who is Pham Doan Trang ?

    Journalist Doan Trang, 43 years old this year, residing in Cat Linh ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi; graduated from Hanoi-Amsterdam School and Hanoi Foreign Trade University and worked as a reporter for Vnexpress Electronic Newspaper, an employee of HAKI Advertising Company, VTC Digital Television Company, a contributor to Vietnamnet Newspaper and a Newspaper Reporter. Law of Ho Chi Minh City.

    After a period of writing newspapers, Ms. Trang gradually became a famous dissident blogger. She wrote many famous books such as Popular Politics, Prison Farming Manual, Non-Violent Resistance.

    Trang is also the co-founder of the blog Luat Khoa Magazine, which provides information on legal issues to help Vietnamese people protect their rights.

    Download:

    Full article in Vietnamese:

    Pham oan Trang nhan giai thuong cua Anh va Canada du bi VN cam tu BBC News Tieng Viet
    Phạm Đoan Trang nhận giải thưởng của Anh và Canada dù bị VN cầm tù – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf
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    Full article in English:

    Pham Doan Trang received British and Canadian awards despite being imprisoned by Vietnam BBC News Vietnamese
    Pham Doan Trang received British and Canadian awards despite being imprisoned by Vietnam – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf
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  • Government of Canada: Minister Joly participates in Third Global Conference for Media Freedom

    Government of Canada: Minister Joly participates in Third Global Conference for Media Freedom

    Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang was presented with the Canada-United Kingdom Freedom Award for Media Freedom for her work in promoting democracy and human rights.

    Excerpt:

    At the conference, Minister Joly and Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, U.K. Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth, presented the Canada-United Kingdom Freedom Award for Media Freedom to Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang for her work in advancing democracy and human rights in Vietnam.

    More on Mélanie Joly and Global Affairs Canada commendations for Pham Doan Trang’s work in support of media freedom in Vietnam.

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    Minister Joly participates in Third Global Conference for Media Freedom Canadaca
    Minister Joly participates in Third Global Conference for Media Freedom – Canada.ca.pdf
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