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Luật Khoa Magazine , an independent Vietnamese-language media outlet and sister publication of The Vietnamese Magazine , has been shortlisted for the Impact Prize at the 33rd Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Awards.

The special edition award ceremony, scheduled to be held as part of the RSF Festival, marking the NGO’s 40th anniversary, will take place at La Gaîté Lyrique cultural center in Paris on Nov. 15, 2025.

Luật Khoa is one of the 29 journalists and media outlets from 18 countries to be honored across five categories.

The Impact Prize, for which Luật Khoa is shortlisted, is awarded to deserving journalists or media outlets "whose work has led to concrete improvement in journalistic freedom, independence and pluralism, or to an increase in awareness of these issues.”

Founded in 2014 by a collective of Vietnamese journalists, RSF describes Luật Khoa as one of the "few reliable sources of information about Việt Nam," reaching a wide audience through its newsletters and social media presence.

In its official profile of the nominee, RSF praised the outlet for its resilience in the face of mounting state persecution. RSF noted that while the outlet's current leadership operates in exile, most of its reporters continue their work on the ground in Việt Nam.

The organization highlighted Luật Khoa Magazine's commitment to producing "rigorous and educational journalism," which offers a "structured alternative narrative to the Vietnamese Communist Party's propaganda.”

This vital work comes at a significant cost. RSF noted that the outlet is "increasingly persecuted by the authorities" and is "regularly subjected to technical blockages and smear campaigns.”

The nomination also brings renewed attention to the plight of one of Luật Khoa Magazine's founders, journalist Pham Doan Trang . Trang, herself a winner of the 2019 RSF Press Freedom Prize, was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2020 for allegedly disseminating "propaganda against the state.”

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The staff of The Vietnamese Magazine extends our full solidarity and congratulations to our colleagues at Luật Khoa Magazine for this international recognition. This nomination stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to the courageous and essential work of the independent Vietnamese journalists who risk their freedom and lives to report the truth.

In a dangerous and precarious media landscape defined by immense government pressure and state censorship, the rigorous journalism of outlets like Luật Khoa Mgazine remains indispensable. Their shortlisting for the Impact Prize reflects their unwavering dedication to the fight for a more just, transparent, and free Việt Nam.