As public outcry continues to mount over former National Assembly deputy Nguyễn Sỹ Cương’s involvement in a fatal accident, two ministries in Việt Nam have endeavored to stop the growing momentum.
The Latest: After a series of Threads posts accusing Nguyễn Sỹ Cương of causing an accident was blocked in Việt Nam by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Security has continued the push by removing multiple Facebook posts related to the case.
The Details: On the morning of Aug. 13, the Facebook page Bàn Tròn Chính Trị Việt Nam posted a notice saying, “The Ministry of Public Security has asked Facebook to continuously block three of my posts about Nguyễn Sỹ Cương.”
- According to screenshots provided to Luật Khoa, the platform stated, “We [Facebook] received a request from Việt Nam’s Ministry of Public Security to restrict access to your post.”
- Facebook added that “this request is based on local law.”
- According to Luật Khoa’s review, the three posts were blocked only in Việt Nam.
Earlier, Luật Khoa’s Aug. 12 Facebook post, “Nguyễn Sỹ Cương Becomes a Phenomenon on Threads,” was also restricted in Việt Nam on the morning of Aug. 13 at the request of the Ministry of Public Security.
The Fatal Accident: According to the newspaper Pháp Luật, at around 1:15 p.m. on May 30, 2025, a 64-year-old man identified by the initials N.S.C., residing in the former Đống Đa District of Hà Nội, was driving a BMW on Nguyễn Huy Tự Street from Trần Khánh Dư toward Yec-xanh.
- The motorbike was driven by Đ.V.H., who was carrying his 18-year-old daughter, Đ.N.P.T.
- The crash broke Đ.V.H.’s leg and left Đ.N.P.T. severely injured, with her right leg severed.
- She was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment but did not survive.
On May 31, 2025, a representative of Road Traffic Police Team No. 4 under the Hà Nội Police Investigative Police Office said that the case file had been transferred to the Investigative Police Agency of Hà Nội Police for further investigation and clarification.
More than a week after the crash, at 12:34 a.m. on June 8, 2025, the account of Đỗ Quang Minh, a relative of the victim, posted a statement confirming that “Thùy, whom everyone at home called Mina, the victim of the accident that severed her leg more than a week ago,” had died.
On June 10, 2025, an image of an obituary appeared on the VOZ forum. It stated: “The visitation for Đỗ Ngọc Phương Thùy will begin at 2:15 p.m. on June 11, 2025 (tomorrow afternoon). Location: National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Trần Thánh Tông, Hà Nội.”
- According to the obituary, Đỗ Ngọc Phương Thùy died at 10:07 p.m. on June 7, 2025.
- Her father is Đỗ Việt Hùng, and her mother is Nguyễn Quỳnh Trang.
Since then, neither police agencies nor state media have provided any further updates related to the case.
Nguyễn Sỹ Cương’s Profile: Nguyễn Sỹ Cương, born in 1961, was a National Assembly deputy from 2011 to 2021.
- He served as a standing member of the National Assembly’s Law Committee and later its Foreign Affairs Committee during the 13th legislature.
Why It Matters: The active suppression of information is fueling further defiance among netizens.
Nguyễn Phong, who runs the Facebook page Bàn Tròn Chính Trị Việt Nam, told Luật Khoa that the blocking or removal of posts related to the case was not unexpected.
- “This development is neither surprising nor unexpected, given that Cương’s wife is a minister. This action is a move by the authorities to cover up the case,” Phong said.
- When asked whether blocking measures could weaken the online campaign, Phong said “certainly not.”
- “Threads has an anonymous posting feature. Besides, young people today are far more creative than previous generations. If Tô Lâm does not take action to resolve this, I’m afraid this movement will only explode further,” Phong said.
Additionally, on the morning of Aug. 13, a Threads user named mediatinhthao posted an account describing a conversation with the Facebook page Phòng An ninh Nội Địa which belongs to the Đà Nẵng City Police, according to Luật Khoa’s review.
- The user reported repeatedly asking for updates related to Nguyễn Sỹ Cương’s case.
- After the page asked the user to “provide your name, address, and what issue you are reporting,” the conversation was allegedly blocked shortly afterward.
Thành Phương wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on August 14, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
