10-11-2024 (HANOI) Vietnamese authorities have confirmed the arrest of a 29-year-old pro-democracy activist in their latest move against political dissent, with state media announcing the detention nearly two months after it occurred.
Tran Khac Duc faces charges of disseminating anti-state propaganda, according to the state publication Safeguarding the Law. The charges specifically relate to allegedly creating and distributing materials opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Duc is linked to the Assembly for Democracy and Pluralism (ADP), an organisation advocating for multi-party democracy in the one-party communist state. The group’s website describes him as an “informal member” and lauds his commitment to democratic reform, characterising him as an “intelligent, wise, dynamic and gentle young man.”
The ADP, established in 1982 by former South Vietnamese government official Nguyen Gia Kieng, has faced increasing pressure from authorities. Speaking from exile in France, Kieng told Radio Free Asia that while ADP members have previously endured police harassment and violence, Duc’s arrest represents an “unusual” escalation.
This latest detention follows the recent sentencing of a blogger to 12 years’ imprisonment on similar charges of anti-state activities, highlighting Vietnam’s intensifying suppression of political dissent. The country’s poor record on press freedom is reflected in its ranking of 174th out of 180 nations in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
