The fallout from a controversial book on President Hồ Chí Minh intensifies as Vietnamese authorities detain several publishing executives and issue sweeping fines against the press.
The Latest: The legal action surrounding the book Chuyện với Thanh has expanded beyond its author, Nguyễn Thành Nam, and Trần Việt Anh, the director of the media organization Spiderum.
- On July 15, Hà Nội police charged and detained three leaders of the Writers’ Association Publishing House: Director Nguyễn Thúy Hằng, Editor-in-Chief Đào Bá Đoàn, and Head of the Editorial Board Nguyễn Văn Yên.
The Details: All three executives are detained under Article 117 of the Penal Code, accused of “making, storing, disseminating, or propagandizing information, documents, and materials aimed at opposing the State.”
- Additionally, authorities stated that the three leaders had “edited, revised, and published” Nam’s book, Chuyện với Thanh – Lời kể mới về ánh sáng (Story with Thanh – A New Account of Light.)
- According to police allegations, the contents of the book “distorted historical facts about revolutions, the Party’s lines and policies, and the State’s laws and policies, while insulting President Hồ Chí Minh, Gen. Võ Nguyên Giáp, and many other Party and State leaders.”
On the same day as the arrests, the Press Authority announced it had fined 23 media outlets and sanctioned more than 30 individuals for publishing articles “praising” the book.
- The authorities have currently concealed the full list of the 23 penalized media organizations.
The Background: Rumors regarding the arrests of the publishing house leaders had circulated prior to the official announcement, similar to the earlier detentions of Nam and Việt Anh.
The initial backlash against the publication began with former soldier Phan Trung Can and Lt. Gen. Nguyễn Thanh Tuấn, figures previously known for denunciation campaigns against the book The Sorrow of War and a separate event concerning Trương Vĩnh Ký.
Amid the growing controversy, the Writers’ Association Publishing House issued a formal apology on June 10, halted distribution, and recalled the book.
- Subsequently, on June 15, the publishing house was suspended for two months and issued a fine of 100 million đồng for publishing “very serious false content.”
The Controversial Book: Released in early 2026, Chuyện với Thanh ignited intense controversy and accusations of “distorting history,” “insulting President Hồ Chí Minh,” and “insulting the Vietnamese nation” due to its unconventional portrayal of the former leader.
- The book is structured as a dialogue between a Gen Z student named Thanh, who is indifferent to history, and a teacher named Thành. Through this narrative device, the author attempted to reconstruct the journey of Hồ Chí Minh—then known as Nguyễn Tất Thành—during his formative years abroad.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 15, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
