Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has unveiled its priority campaigns for 2025, focusing on grave threats to press freedom and the
Huỳnh Kha and Hiếu Mạnh wrote this article in Vietnamese, which was published in Luat Khoa Magazine on February 24,
Key Events * Freedom House Reports on Vietnam’s Ongoing Repression of Activists and Journalists * Vietnamese Journalist Huy Duc Jailed for
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has unveiled its priority campaigns for 2025, focusing on grave threats to press freedom and the public's right to reliable information.
Aside from addressing several key issues and advocacies such as the protection of environmental journalism, the relocation of persecuted journalists worldwide, and the mass harassment of journalists in India, this year’s campaigns spotlights a priority list of five journalists who have been unjustly imprisoned in the pursuit of their professional duties.
Notably, for the first time in history, the list is comprised entirely of female journalists. Among the highlighted cases is that of Vietnamese journalist and pro-democracy activist Pham Doan Trang, who has been imprisoned since October 2020.
Trang, renowned for her unwavering commitment to human rights and free expression, was sentenced to nine years in prison in December 2021 under charges of "conducting propaganda against the State." She has reportedly lost 22 pounds while imprisoned and has been denied urgent medical treatment by Vietnamese authorities. Her conviction has drawn international condemnation, with organizations like Amnesty International describing it as outrageous and emblematic of Vietnam's repression of peaceful activism.
In recognition of her courage and dedication, Trang has received several accolades and awards. In 2022, she was given the Martin Ennals Award for her “courage and unique contributions” to the international human rights movement. Trang was also honored with the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award in 2024 — an award given to writers who have been imprisoned for their work, with the purpose of ending the persecution of journalists and defending free expression. Despite her imprisonment, Trang’s writings continue to inspire defenders and advocates for free expression worldwide.
RSF's 2025 campaigns aim to mobilize international support for journalists like Trang, advocating for their release and the protection of press freedom globally. The organization emphasizes the urgency of these initiatives in light of escalating threats to journalists and the proliferation of misinformation.
Trang is only one of 39 other journalists imprisoned in Vietnam for speaking truth to power and justly criticizing the state. Through these efforts, RSF seeks to ensure that voices like Trang's are not silenced and that the fundamental right to reliable information is upheld.
Huỳnh Kha and Hiếu Mạnh wrote this article in Vietnamese, which was published in Luat Khoa Magazine on February 24,
Đức Nhân wrote this article in Vietnamese, which was published in Luat Khoa Magazine on February 28, 2025. Thúc Kháng
On February 27, 2025, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced journalist and author Truong Huy San — also known by
Truong Huy San, also known as Osin Huy Duc, is renowned for his book “The Winning Side” (Bên Thắng Cuộc)
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