The Global Campaign for Phạm Đoan Trang—A Symbol of Press Freedom in Việt Nam

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series commemorating the birthday of Phạm Đoan Trang (May 27, 1978), marking the sixth consecutive year she has spent her birthday in prison.

The Vietnamese Magazine hopes that on each of Phạm Đoan Trang’s birthdays, we and our readers can continue to remember and spread the spirit of her steadfast struggle for a freer and more livable Việt Nam, a spirit that we believe no prison can confine.

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​Nearly six years after her arrest, Phạm Đoan Trang continues to draw support from human rights organizations, media outlets, and literary communities around the world. 

Her case has evolved into a symbol of the broader struggle for freedom of expression and press freedom in Việt Nam. Meanwhile, prestigious awards and international advocacy campaigns offer the clearest evidence of Trang’s enduring influence, further highlighting the absurdity of the sentence she is serving.

From Independent Journalist to Prisoner of Conscience

​Before her arrest, Phạm Đoan Trang built a rare and distinguished career in independent journalism and publishing within Việt Nam. 

After working for state media agencies from 2000 to 2013, she fully transitioned into independent activism. She co-founded and edited both Luật Khoa Magazine, an independent online publication focused on law and human rights, and its English-language counterpart, The Vietnamese Magazine.

More than that, she co-founded the independent publishing initiative Nhà xuất bản Tự do and the environmental organization Green Trees. She authored more than nine Vietnamese-language books on public policy and human rights, including “Chính trị bình dân” (“Politics for the Masses”), “Cẩm nang nuôi tù” (“Prisoner Support Handbook”), and “Phản kháng phi bạo lực” (“Nonviolent Resistance”), all of which are currently banned in Việt Nam.

​On Oct. 6, 2020, Phạm Đoan Trang was arrested in Hồ Chí Minh City. Following over a year in near-isolation detention, the Hà Nội People’s Court sentenced her in December 2021 to nine years in prison. She was convicted of “conducting propaganda against the state” under Article 88 of the 1999 Penal Code. [1] 

All charges stemmed directly from three specific journalistic texts cited in her indictment: a report on the 2016 Formosa environmental disaster, a 2017 report on religious freedom in Việt Nam, and a general human rights assessment. [3]

​Major international human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, PEN America, PEN International, and Article 19, have identified her as a prisoner of conscience—someone imprisoned purely for peaceful expression rather than violence or subversion. [2] 

Additionally, in 2021, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the law used to prosecute her was “so vague that it cannot serve as a valid legal basis” and that her detention violated internationally protected rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and association. [4]

​Her arrest immediately drew widespread attention domestically and internationally because she embodied multiple roles simultaneously: 

• An independent journalist, 
• An influential author, 
• A human rights defender, 
• A woman willing to challenge power through peaceful means. 

Her sentence stands as a stark illustration of the limits on free expression in Việt Nam, as she relied solely on books, articles, and legal knowledge—without advocating violence, holding political power, or operating clandestinely.

International Perspectives

​The case has drawn criticism from numerous international organizations, which view it as a prime example of the Vietnamese government’s use of vague criminal provisions to punish dissenting voices. 

According to Human Rights Watch, the authorities specifically targeted Phạm Đoan Trang because she exposed human rights abuses and supported political prisoners. [5] 

Amnesty International echoed this sentiment, asserting that “what she has done should be celebrated and protected, not punished and criminalized.” [6] 

PEN America argued that imprisoning her represents not only an attack on a writer but also a broader assault on the right of the Vietnamese people to access truth. [7] 

International Statements and Calls for Release

​For nearly six years following her arrest, Phạm Đoan Trang has commanded unwavering support from the United Nations, Western governments, international lawmakers, and the world’s leading human rights and press freedom organizations. 

The advocacy began even before her arrest in October 2020, when five special rapporteurs from the United Nations Human Rights Council sent a letter to the Vietnamese government expressing concern over the harassment she faced. [8] 

Subsequently, while she was in pretrial detention in 2021, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that her detention violated international law. [9] 

At the same time, a coalition of 28 international human rights and free expression organizations signed a joint statement calling for her immediate and unconditional release. [10]  

​Following her nine-year prison sentence in late 2021, groups such as Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and PEN America unequivocally condemned the ruling and demanded her unconditional release. 

The United States Department of State and the European Union have also repeatedly mentioned her case in diplomatic statements. [11] 

From 2023 to 2025, Phạm Đoan Trang’s case continued to feature in advocacy campaigns by the US State Department, open letters from American and European lawmakers, and statements from international coalitions. [12]  

​The urgency surrounding her case escalated in May 2025, when organizations including Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, and the Legal Initiatives for Vietnam (LIV), The Vietnamese Magazine’s parent organization, issued a joint statement marking her 47th birthday, highlighting her deteriorating health and demanding access to independent medical care. [13] 

By October 2025, more than 20 human rights and press freedom organizations had signed another joint statement urging the Vietnamese government to release her and ensure access to independent healthcare. [14] According to the statement, despite her imprisonment, “the Vietnamese government will not be able to erase Phạm Đoan Trang’s struggle for press freedom and the right to access information.” [15] 

In December 2025, exactly four years after her conviction, a coalition including Reporters Without Borders, PEN International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, Amnesty International, and other organizations issued yet another joint statement calling on the international community to increase diplomatic pressure on Hà Nội to secure her release. [16] 

Awards Honoring Phạm Đoan Trang

​Long before her imprisonment, the international community recognized Phạm Đoan Trang as one of the most important voices for democracy and human rights in Việt Nam. Her extensive honors and recognitions include:

• Homo Homini Award (2018): The organization People in Need awarded her the Homo Homini Award for contributions to promoting freedom and resisting authoritarianism. [17]
• RSF Press Freedom Prize (2019): Reporters Without Borders awarded Phạm Đoan Trang its 2019 Press Freedom Prize. Upon receiving the award, she said she would continue fighting until “journalism is no longer treated as a crime.” [18]
• Martin Ennals Award (2022): In 2022, she became the first Vietnamese recipient of the Martin Ennals Award. Her mother traveled to Geneva to accept the prize on her behalf while she remained imprisoned. [19]
• International Press Freedom Award (2022): The Committee to Protect Journalists honored her with its International Press Freedom Award. [20]
• International Women of Courage Award (2022): The United States Department of State presented her with the International Women of Courage Award. [21]
• Media Freedom 2022: The Canada–United Kingdom Media Freedom Award 2022 recognized Phạm Đoan Trang for her contributions to advancing human rights and freedom of expression. [22]
• PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award (2024): PEN America honored her with the Freedom to Write Award for writers imprisoned because of their work and beliefs. [23]
• Tucholsky Prize (2025): PEN Sweden awarded her the Tucholsky Prize in 2025. [24]
• #FreePhamDoanTrang campaign: In addition to awards, many international organizations have coordinated advocacy efforts calling for her release.

Concerns Over Prison Conditions

​According to international organizations, her health continues to decline. She has lasting injuries from a 2015 police assault and new health problems that have emerged during her imprisonment. [25]

“You are Not Alone”

​As Phạm Đoan Trang once said, international awards are vital in helping writers and activists in Việt Nam understand that the world continues to recognize and support their efforts. [26] 

In a landscape where independent journalism is criminalized, this kind of recognition serves as an indispensable source of moral support, going beyond mere symbolism.

A Symbol of Press Freedom in Việt Nam

​International organizations frequently cite the case of Phạm Đoan Trang as an example of the suppression of free expression in Việt Nam. This is reflected in the global press freedom rankings compiled by Reporters Without Borders, where Việt Nam continues to rank among the world’s lowest-rated countries. [27] 

Voices supporting her continue to resonate across the globe, from Prague and Paris to Geneva, New York City, and Stockholm. Although her sentence may last for many years, her writings and the ideals she represents continue to receive enduring solidarity from the international community.

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If you wish to write to her, you may also send letters and birthday wishes to Phạm Đoan Trang through the email address lktc-bbt@mail.luatkhoa.com or by mail to Legal Initiatives for Vietnam, 4th Floor, RIIC Building, National Chengchi University, No. 64, Sec. 2, Zhinan Rd., Wenshan Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan (ROC) 116.

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Thiên Di wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on May 21, 2026. Đàm Vĩnh Hằng translated it into English for The Vietnamese Magazine.