HANOI – In a move signaling a tightening grip on dissent, Vietnamese authorities have arrested two well-known Facebook users on charges of abusing democratic freedoms, the government announced on Saturday. The arrests come amidst a significant leadership reshuffle in the Communist-ruled country, raising concerns about the state of democratic freedoms in Vietnam.
The individuals detained are Truong Huy San, a former reporter aged 62, and Tran Dinh Trien, a 65-year-old lawyer. They face accusations of “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state,” according to an official government statement.
While Vietnam has undergone substantial economic reforms and exhibited some openness to social change, the ruling Communist Party maintains strict media censorship and is intolerant of criticism. San and Trien are alleged to have posted articles on Facebook that were deemed to infringe upon the interests of the state and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.
San and Trien were known for their critical commentary on the administration and law enforcement authorities, often expressed through their Facebook accounts, which had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers. Their sudden disappearance from the platform less than a week ago fueled speculation about their arrest.
The announcement of their arrests comes shortly after the appointment of a new police minister by the National Assembly and amidst a broader period of political turbulence. The government’s statement mentioned that the police had conducted searches of the individuals’ homes and that further investigations were underway.
The arrests of San and Trien underscore growing concerns about the shrinking space for dissent in Vietnam and the authorities’ willingness to crackdown on online criticism. As the country navigates through a period of leadership transition, the fate of democratic freedoms hangs in the balance, with observers closely watching how the government handles dissenting voices in the digital sphere.