December 14th marked the fourth anniversary of the sentencing of LIV’s co-founder and prominent Vietnamese journalist, Phạm Đoan Trang. Legal Initiatives for Vietnam (LIV) and an international coalition of NGOs call on the international community to intensify pressure on the Vietnamese authorities to secure her release.
After being held incommunicado for more than a year beginning in 2020, Trang was sentenced on 14 December 2021 to nine years in prison on charges of “anti-state propaganda,” in retaliation for her work as a journalist and writer. Critics of the government are routinely accused of such crimes or “abusing democratic freedoms” — vague and politically motivated charges that can carry prison sentences of up to 20 years.
Pham Doan Trang’s case is emblematic of the Vietnamese authorities’ campaign of repression against journalists and writers, as part of an escalating crackdown on the right to information. The country ranks 173rd out of 180 in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index and is among the world’s leading jailers of journalists and writers, according to RSF, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and PEN America.
“I don’t want freedom for myself, that’s too easy. No, I want something greater – freedom for Vietnam.” – Pham Doan Trang
Since her conviction, conditions for Pham Doan Trang — founder of the online magazines Luat Khoa and The Vietnamese — have deteriorated significantly. In October 2022, she was transferred to a prison nearly 1,000 miles from her family home, making it almost impossible for her 85-year-old mother to visit. Her mental health has significantly deteriorated due to prolonged isolation from her loved ones.
Trang has also faced numerous health problems while incarcerated, including an ongoing disability stemming from a 2015 police assault that left her with broken legs. She also continues to suffer from the lasting effects of COVID-19 contracted in prison, as well as chronic sinusitis, arthritis, and various gynaecological conditions.
“Pham Doan Trang is a symbol of press freedom and resilience. Her commitment to justice and journalism must not be forgotten. She deserves to be at the top of the diplomatic agenda, and the international community must do everything in its power to secure her release.” — The #FreePhamDoanTrang coalition
Signed by:
1. Legal Initiatives for Vietnam
2. PEN International
3. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
4. PEN America
5. Reporters without Borders (RSF)
6. Asia Human Rights & Labour Advocates (AHRLA)
7. Amnesty International
8. Free Press Unlimited
9. Vietnamese Advocates for Change