Blogging Politics in Vietnam 2003-2015

A timeline of Vietnam's blogging movement and related political events.

Click the 'spanner' icon at bottom right to change the timeline view type, the spacing and zoom, or to select only one or more categories to view.

2003

Talawas

Talawas was founded in 2001 by writer Pham Thi Hoai. At first, Talawas focused on literature. Politics and social issues were added later. In 2009, Talawas became a forum and a blog. Talawas stopped operations in November 2010, but the archive is available online. With the motto of "respect different opinions" of the editorial board, talawas is considered one of the most reputable sites in Vietnam. Talawas archive was contributed by many Vietnamese well known intellectuals. Talawas also stores many Vietnamese literature works before 1975.

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2004

X-cafe

X-café is created inside a popular forum called ddth.com. X-cafe is place where people discuss social issues, and it quickly grows in popularity.

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June 2004

DanChimViet.com founded

DanChimViet.com founded in June 2004 is a news portal that promotes human rights, democracy and development for Vietnam. In 2007, due to many hacking attempts, the portal moves to new domains called dvconline.net and danchimviet.info.

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Jun 2005

Yahoo! 360 blog service

Yahoo! 360 blog service launches and quickly becomes the most popular blog platform in Vietnam due to the wide use of Yahoo! Messenger and Yahoo! Mail.

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Sep 2005

X-cafevn.org

After X-cafe box was terminated, the members of X-café create an independent forum called X-cafévn.org. Its philosophy is “To respect differences” and to encourage open dialogue on socio-political topics.

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25th August 2007

Paracel Data Center

A web resource is published with information on The Paracel Islands, also known as Xisha in Chinese and Hoàng Sa in Vietnamese. Many Vietnamese bloggers have focused on their government's handling of China and threats to Vietnamese sovereignty.

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9th September 2007

Blog Anh Ba Sàm

Anh Ba Sam created his first blog in September 2007 using Yahoo! 360 blog service. Anh Ba Sam's real name is Nguyen Huu Vinh, he is a former policeman. The blog was originally used as a means to store articles for his own reference, but the site soon became a platform for activists to share blog posts and other content critical of the government. Vietnamese bloggers have said that Ba Sam has traditionally been a forum for demonstrators staging anti-Chinese protests over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Anh Ba Sam is the son of Nguyen Huu Khieu -- a former labor minister, top Party member and ambassador to the former Soviet Union.

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19th September 2007

Independent Journalist Club established

The Free Journalists Network (FJVN) is founded by blogger Điếu Cày, Lê Xuân Lập, Huy Cường, Vũ Quốc Tú (blogger Uyên Vũ), and Ngô Thanh Tú (blogger Thiên Sầu). Joining later are Tạ Phong Tần (owner of the blog Công lý & Sự thật [Justice and Truth]), and Phan Thanh Hải (blogger AnhbaSG). From September 2007 to October 2010, when blogger AnhbaSG was detained, there were 421 articles published on this blog, of which 94 articles were written by FJVN members, while 327 articles were reposted from VOA, RFA, the 8406 bloc, Dân Luận, Thông Luận, Người Việt Online and other sources.

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2007

Blog Osin by Huy Duc

San Truong (aka Huy Duc) is a freelance journalist based in Ho Chi Minh City who covers Vietnamese politics. After serving eight years as an officer in the Vietnamese army, fighting against the Chinese in 1979 and against the Khmer Rouge in the 1980s, he wrote for leading newspapers in Vietnam including Tuoi Tre and the Saigon Economic Times. As a journalist working in a state-controlled media system, his guiding principle has been to “push the line, but not cross the line,” by attacking corruption and promoting political reform. Until 2010, he published blogosin.org, which was the most popular blog in Vietnam.

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9th December 2007

First anti-Chinese protest

The first anti-Chinese protest is held by bloggers and students in Hanoi and Saigon to oppose China’s decision to set up “Sansha City” to administer the Spratly and Paracel islands. This was one of the first large-scale street demonstrations since reunification in 1975.

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19th Apr 2008

Blogger Dieu Cay arrested

Nguyễn Văn Hải, better known as Điếu Cày, is prosecuted by the government for tax evasion and "disseminating anti-state information and materials." His imprisonment was protested by several international human rights organizations including Amnesty International. On 21 October 2014, he was released after approximately 7 years imprison. (Wikipedia)

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29th April 2008

Protest against Beijing Olympic 2008

Youth protest at the Olympic Torch Relay in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The scale of the protests is small.

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Nov 2008

Bauxite mine project leaked

News about the “great project” of bauxite mining in Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) begins to spread in both the mainstream media and on blogs. Some intellectuals issue the first petition urging a review of the project.

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22nd January 2009

Dan Luan forum launched

Dân Luận is founded, with the aim of observing “neutrality, rationality, and pluralism.” Dân Luận shares a server with X-cafevn.org.

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Mar 2009

Blog "Change We Need"

A new political Yahoo! 360° blog, “Change We Need” (probably inspired by the campaign of US President Obama), becomes famous by directly attacking the bauxite mining project. The blog provides readers unverifiable information about the government and its relations with Chinese counterparts. “The Tay Nguyen bauxite mining project: a grave the Vietnamese communist regime digs for itself,” said one blog post.

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May 2009

http://bauxitevn.info

Professor Nguyễn Huệ Chi, elementary school teacher Phạm Toàn, and Dr. Nguyễn Thế Hùng establish a website critical of the bauxite mining project (http://bauxitevn.info). It was hacked and subject to denial of service attacks hundreds of times.

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24th May 2009

Activist Tran Huynh Duy Thuc arrested

Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức (born 29 November 1966) is an engineer, entrepreneur and human rights activist. He was the founder and president of EIS, an international internet and telephone line provider. He is one of Amnesty International's prisoners of conscience. (Wikipedia)

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11th June 2009

Blogger sues the Prime Minister

Lawyer/Activist Cù Huy Hà Vũ files a lawsuit against Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng for signing Decision no. 167/2007 approving the Tây Nguyên bauxite mining project.

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13th June 2009

Lawyer Le Cong Dinh arrested

Lê Công Định is a prominent Vietnamese lawyer who defended many high-profile human rights cases. He was critical of bauxite mining in the Central Highlands, and was arrested on 13 June 2009 for reasons of "national security," despite the protests of the international community. Le Cong Dinh is one of Amnesty International's prisoners of conscience. (Wikipedia)

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18th June 2009

Blog Free Lê Công Định

Blog appears that re-posts articles written by Le Cong Dinh and calls for his release.

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13th July 2009

Yahoo! 360 terminated

Yahoo! 360° is closed down permanently. The community of bloggers in Vietnam splits up. Some move to Yahoo! 360° Plus. Others choose Wordpress, Blogger, Multiply, Weblog, etc. Many new blogs on politics were created in 2009-2010 as a result of the closing of Yahoo! 360°: Quê Choa (http://quechoa.info), Trương Duy Nhất (http://truongduynhat.vn), Nguyễn Xuân Diện, etc. Quê Choa is the blog of Nguyễn Quang Lập, a fiction writer and screenwriter, whose humorous, even vulgar style was very popular. Trương Duy Nhất is a mainstream reporter, who declared that he quit journalism to focus only on blogging independently. Nguyễn Xuân Diện is a researcher on Vietnam’s ca trù (a Vietnamese folk song genre).

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Jul 2009

The rise of Facebook

Not long after Yahoo! 360 is terminated, Facebook becomes the most popular social network in Vietnam. Many activists move to Facebook, in part because it is harder for the government to censor pages within the Facebook architecture.

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27th August 2009

Blogger Nguoi Buon Gio detained

Bui Thanh Hieu, better known as "Nguoi buon gio" is detained for nine days.

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Aug 2009

Blogger Me Nam detained

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, better known as blogger "Me Nam" is detained for nine days.

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28th August 2009

Journalist Pham Doan Trang detained for 9 days

Pham Doan Trang is detained for nine days. Doan Trang later published the blog posts that inspired this timeline!

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Sep 2009

Facebook blocked (first time)

Facebook is blocked for the first time. Facebook users spread circumvention guidelines, greatly increasing knowledge on how to circumvent firewalls among Vietnamese computer users.

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Dec 2009

Facebook blocked (second time)

The second Facebook block is more substantial and effective than the first block.

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20th January 2010

DDOS attack

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận are subjected to denial of service attacks for the first time, coinciding with the court trial of four political dissidents: Lê Công Định, Nguyễn Tiến Trung, Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức and Lê Thăng Long, all accused of “carrying out activities to overthrow the people’s administration” under Article 79 of the Penal Code.

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28th February 2010

Hacker attacks

Hacker group Sinh Tử Lệnh penetrates X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận, stealing private registrations of members and posting them at sinhtulenh.org. While this group has previously attacked and damaged independent blogs and websites, this is the first time they appear under the alias Sinh Tử Lệnh (Command of Life and Death).

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23rd August 2010

Hacking attacks

The blog Free Le Cong Dinh (the forerunner of Danlambao), Thư viện Hà Sĩ Phu, Thông Luận, Tiền Vệ, X-Cafe and Talawas are all hacked and made inaccessible.

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23rd August 2010

Blog Dan Lam Bao appears

Danlambao is founded. Danlambao means “people doing journalism,” as opposed to a state-owned media. Dan Lam Bao is soon the most well-known independent media channel in Vietnam, publishing the writing of many activists. In 2012, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung directly ordered the police to attack and block access to Dan Lam Bao and two other sites for posting sensitive political information.

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18th October 2010

Blogger AnhbaSG arrested

Phan Thanh Hải (born 1969) is a Vietnamese blogger known as "Anhbasg" or "Anh Ba Sài Gòn." At the Free Journalists Club website, Phan discussed controversial topics including other dissidents, Vietnam's maritime border with China, and government corruption scandals. A lawyer by training, Phan was denied permission to practice due to his blogging and his involvement in protests. In 2007, he was arrested after a protest against the Beijing Olympics and later placed under police surveillance. In October 2010, he was arrested in Ho Chi Minh City and charged with disseminating anti-state information and materials. (Wikipedia)

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26th October 2010

Journalist Lê Nguyễn Hương Trà arrested

“Social blogger” Cô Gái Đồ Long, also known as journalist Lê Nguyễn Hương Trà, is arrested for posted a blog entry “defaming” a public security officer, General Nguyễn Khánh Toàn, and accused of committing libel.

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3rd November 2010

Talawas closes down

Talawas closes down after nine years of operation. The website is still available online.

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5th November 2010

Cu Huy Ha Vu arrested

On 5 November 2010, Vũ is arrested at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Police claim to have arrested him with a woman who was not his wife, and photos are briefly posted showing a half-dressed Vũ with a blurred-out woman. Vũ's home and law office are subsequently searched. Officials later state Vu had "produced documents that opposed the State of Vietnam, employed propagandistic rhetoric as a form of a psychological warfare, demanded the overthrow of the regime and the realization of pluralism and a multiparty system." (Wikipedia)

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26th April 2011

Nguyen Anh Tuan confession

Nguyễn Anh Tuấn (born 1990), a student at the National Academy of Public Administration, sends a “confession” to the Supreme People's Procurator, requesting to be charged with “conducting propaganda against the state” together with Cù Huy Hà Vũ, as he has also stored “documents with contents against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” His request is not resolved and the authorities fail to issue any official decision on the case, but Tuấn is summoned for interrogations and investigation. On May 19, he publishes an open letter, saying “it's a tragedy for a nation when good wills is only one-sided – from the people.” (BBC)

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26th May 2011

Chinese patrol boats confront Vietnamese oil exploration ship in South China Sea

Chinese maritime surveillance vessels cut the seismic exploration cables of PetroVietnam’s Bình Minh 2 vessel in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. Outcry spreads on the Internet, including the blogosphere and Facebook. 'Nhật Ký Yêu Nước' (Diary of Patriotism, a Facebook page created on 12 April 2010) calls for protests against China.

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6th June 2011

Anti-China protest outside embassy

Hundreds of people in Vietnam protest in front of the Chinese diplomatic missions in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City against what they see as Chinese incursion into Vietnamese territory in the disputed South China Sea. Protesters sing patriotic songs and carry banners in Vietnamese, Chinese, and English, with slogans such as "We Oppose China Creating Instability," and "The Spratlys and Paracels Belong to Vietnam." Others carry the national flag of Vietnam. Around 400 protesters march to the Chinese embassy in Hanoi, until the crowd was dispersed by police. Several hundred also gathered by the Chinese consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. (RFA)

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9th June 2011

Chinese ships disturb Vietnamese vessel again

Chinese fishing boats damage the cables of a ship chartered by PetroVietnam as it was engaged in seismic surveys in Vietnam's waters. According to Nguyen Phuong Nga, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, the Viking II vessel, leased by the PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC) from a foreign company, was working at Lot. No 136.03 (6o47.5' N 109o17.5' E) in Vietnam's continental shelf. (Thanh Nien News)

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12th Jun 2011 - 21st Jun 2011

Anti-China weekly protest

Protest is planned for every Sunday. Protests in Ho Chi Minh City are suppressed with violence. Photos circulate on Internet showing plainclothes policemen knocking down young protesters on the streets of Saigon. At the same time, police suppression escalates in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Protesters are intimidated, harassed and isolated. Some are dismissed from their jobs under police pressure. State-owned media and cyber troops launch massive campaigns against protesters - who claim they are peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression. 19 June 2011 is the third Sunday of protests in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and is the last “blogger' protest” held in Ho Chi Minh City. In Hanoi, protests continue each Sunday until 21 August, when 47 people are arrested, some of them accused of “disrupting public order” (similar to “inciting social disorder” in China).

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18th August 2011

F-Generation ebook published

The e-book “The F-Generation” is published online at Dan Lam Bao, Ba Sam and other sites as a collection of writings by Vietnamese bloggers on the three anti-China protest rallies in the early summer.

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23rd August 2011

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận hacked again

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận are hacked for the second time by Sinh Tử Lệnh. All data from the sites is deleted. Not only attacking political opposition websites, Sinh Tu Lenh also hits Vietnamese internet companies such as VCcorp and Vietnamnet in 2014.

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5th September 2011

Blogger Ta Phong Tan arrested

Tạ Phong Tần (born 1968) is a former policewoman and was a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. She was arrested in September 2011 on anti-state propaganda charges for her blog posts alleging government corruption. On 30 July 2011, Ta Phong Tan's mother Dang Thi Kim Lieng immolated herself in front of the government offices in Bạc Liêu Province in protest of the charges. On 4 October 2012, Ta Phong Tan was sentenced to ten years in prison. Her arrest was protested by groups including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the US State Department, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. (Wikipedia)

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30th October 2011

No-U football club launched

No-U football club is established. “Sharing a sense of patriotism and anger towards China's aggressive acts, suffering from the same police intimidation and suppression, the protesters find themselves united. Furthermore, football is a sport that can most easily bring people together. The No-U football club is founded in this context.” (blogger Nguyễn Tường Thụy)

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17th November 2011

“Crazy Deputy” criticized by bloggers

Mr. Hoàng Hữu Phước, deputy for Ho Chi Minh City, speaks before the National Assembly, saying “the majority of people will not support a law on protests and demonstrations because protests and demonstrations, by their nature, are vulnerable and may lead to abuses, which can easily lead to chaos.” This position and many other opinions and writings on his personal blog earn Phước the title of “Crazy Deputy” among bloggers.

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27th November 2011

Bui Thi Minh Hang arrested

Blogger Bùi Thị Minh Hằng is arrested in Saigon and taken to Hanoi after trying to protest against the arrest of her Hanoi companions. She is detained in the Thanh Hà education camp, Vĩnh Phúc province, until 29 April 2012 for “disturbing public order.”

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27th November 2011

Protest supports "Law on protests"

A group of bloggers in Hanoi hold a small demonstration to “support the PM and National Assembly” in promulgating the law on protests and demonstrations. All of them are arrested and kept in custody in Lộc Hà rehabilitation camp until the end of the day. The Law on Protests has never been approved and remains under discussion in 2015.

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1st January 2012

'Pro & Contra' blog appears

Writer Phạm Thị Hoài, who ran Talawas, sets up her new blog Pro & Contra. The blog runs until the end of 2014.

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2nd January 2012

Journalist Hoang Khuong arrested

Hoang Khuong, 39, a reporter with Tuoi Tre newspaper, is charged with paying 15 million dong (US $715) to a traffic police officer, through a broker, in return for the release of an impounded motorbike. He was sentenced to four years in jail for offering a bribe - which he said was part of an investigation to expose police corruption. The charge against Hoang Khuong is believed to be a warning from the police to journalists not to interfere into their business.

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5th January 2012

Tien Lang land appropriation case

Shooting breaks out in the Tiên Lãng suburb of Hải Phòng when two fish farmers, Đoàn Văn Vươn and his younger brother Đoàn Văn Quý use improvised mines and muskets to resist an eviction by local policemen. Mainstream media and bloggers both comment on the incident with news, analysis and commentary. The public generally supports the Doan family as land disputes are common in Vietnam and citizens are increasingly discontent with land appropriations by the state or state actors.

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Show more...

Blogging Politics in Vietnam 2003-2015

Activist released or dies

Blogger Ho Duc Thanh dies

8th January 2014

Ho Duc Thanh, a young blogger, dies in August shortly after released from police custody.

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Activist released or dies

Le Hieu Dang dies

22nd January 2014

Le Hieu Dang, a lawyer and senior government official, passes away. He was an active dissident, and many people are prevented from attending his...

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Activist released or dies

Nguyen Huu Cau released

27th March 2014

Nguyen Huu Cau is released after 37 years in prison. He had been sentenced to death in 1983 for composing a song called "God's tears". The death...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Dinh Dang Dinh dies

3rd April 2014

Dinh Dang Dinh, 50, an environmental activist, blogger and former prisoner of conscience, dies. He was jailed in 2011 after starting a petition...

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Activist released or dies

Cu Huy Ha Vu deported to the US

7th April 2014

Lawyer Cu Huy Ha Vu is released and sent to the airport immediately for a flight to Washington DC. The authority announces reason for the early...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Nguyen Tien Trung released

12th Apr 2014 - 27th May 2014

Nguyễn Tiến Trung (born 1983) is a pro-democracy activist and the leader of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy. Trung was arrested on 7...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Vi Duc Hoi released

12th April 2014

Vi Đức Hồi (born 1957) is an ethnically Tay democracy activist and former Communist Party official from Lạng Sơn Province. He was imprisoned in 2011...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Do Thi Minh Hanh released

21st June 2014

Do Thi Minh Hanh, a labour activist, is released after 4 years in prison.

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Activist released or dies

Dieu Cay deported to US

21st October 2014

Blogger Nguyen Van Hai, 62, known online as Dieu Cay, was jailed in 2012 for 12 years for disseminating 'anti-state propaganda' related to his...

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Activist released or dies

Tran Anh Kim released

8th January 2015

Tran Anh Kim is a prisoner of conscience. He used to be member of the Communist party and fought for the Northern side during the war. He was arrested...

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Activist released or dies

Journalist Hoang Khuong released

21st January 2015

Hoang Khuong was famous for a series of articles revealing corruption in the police force, he was then charge for bribery even though he did that to...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Nguyen Van Duyet released

30th January 2015

Nguyen Van Duyet was arrested in 2011 for anti-China protest and his activities related to religion freedom. Duyet has gone on hunger strike several...

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Activist released or dies

Blogger Nguyen Quang Lap released

10th February 2015

Police announces this is not a full release but rather temporary release due to ethical reason. Investigation is still on going.

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Activist released or dies

Blogger Hong Le Tho released

11th February 2015

Blogger Hong Le Tho is released 1 day after Nguyen Quang Lap. Again, the police said this is just temporary release, further investigation is still on...

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Activist released or dies

Activist Le Quoc Quan released

28th June 2015

U.S.-trained lawyer Le Quoc Quan, one of the most famous political dissidents in Vietnam, on June 27 completed his two-and-half imprisonment on the...

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Activist released or dies

Blogger Ta Phong Tan released from jail and arrives safely in U.S

19th September 2015

In a surprise move that may be linked to closer US-Vietnam diplomatic ties, well-known prisoner of conscience Ta Phong Tan was released from prison...

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Activist released or dies

Nguyen Van Ly released

20th May 2016

Vietnam releases one of the country’s longest serving prisoners of conscience just days before US President Barack Obama is due to visit. Nguyen Van...

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Activist released or dies

Two online activists sentenced

24th August 2016

Two online activists have received jail terms at a trial in the southern coastal city of Nha Trang, as the authorities continue their crackdown on...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Dieu Cay arrested

19th Apr 2008

Nguyễn Văn Hải, better known as Điếu Cày, is prosecuted by the government for tax evasion and "disseminating anti-state information and materials."...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Activist Tran Huynh Duy Thuc arrested

24th May 2009

Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức (born 29 November 1966) is an engineer, entrepreneur and human rights activist. He was the founder and president of EIS, an...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Lawyer Le Cong Dinh arrested

13th June 2009

Lê Công Định is a prominent Vietnamese lawyer who defended many high-profile human rights cases. He was critical of bauxite mining in the Central...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Nguoi Buon Gio detained

27th August 2009

Bui Thanh Hieu, better known as "Nguoi buon gio" is detained for nine days.

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Me Nam detained

Aug 2009

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, better known as blogger "Me Nam" is detained for nine days.

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Activist/Journalist detained

Journalist Pham Doan Trang detained for 9 days

28th August 2009

Pham Doan Trang is detained for nine days. Doan Trang later published the blog posts that inspired this timeline!

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger AnhbaSG arrested

18th October 2010

Phan Thanh Hải (born 1969) is a Vietnamese blogger known as "Anhbasg" or "Anh Ba Sài Gòn." At the Free Journalists Club website, Phan discussed...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Journalist Lê Nguyễn Hương Trà arrested

26th October 2010

“Social blogger” Cô Gái Đồ Long, also known as journalist Lê Nguyễn Hương Trà, is arrested for posted a blog entry “defaming” a public security...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Cu Huy Ha Vu arrested

5th November 2010

On 5 November 2010, Vũ is arrested at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Police claim to have arrested him with a woman who was not his wife, and photos are...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Ta Phong Tan arrested

5th September 2011

Tạ Phong Tần (born 1968) is a former policewoman and was a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. She was arrested in September 2011 on anti-state...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Bui Thi Minh Hang arrested

27th November 2011

Blogger Bùi Thị Minh Hằng is arrested in Saigon and taken to Hanoi after trying to protest against the arrest of her Hanoi companions. She is detained...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Journalist Hoang Khuong arrested

2nd January 2012

Hoang Khuong, 39, a reporter with Tuoi Tre newspaper, is charged with paying 15 million dong (US $715) to a traffic police officer, through a broker,...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha arrested

10th October 2012

Nguyễn Phương Uyên (born 1992), a female student at the Food Industry College, is arrested by the Ho Chi Minh City police at her dormitory and...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Le Quoc Quan arrested

27th December 2012

Lê Quốc Quân (born 1971) is arrested on charges of tax evasion on 27 December 2012. Quân is a lawyer, democracy activist and prominent Catholic...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Truong Duy Nhat arrested

26th May 2013

Journalist and blogger Trương Duy Nhất, owner of the blog “A Different Viewpoint”, is arrested and charged with “abusing democratic freedoms to...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Pham Viet Dao arretsed

13th June 2013

Journalist and blogger Phạm Viết Đào is arrested and charged with violation of Article 258. He is later sentenced to 15 months in prison.

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Activist/Journalist detained

Dinh Nhat Uy arrested

15th June 2013

Blogger Đinh Nhật Uy, the elder brother of Đinh Nguyên Kha, is arrested under Article 258 while campaigned for his brother's release. He is later...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Bui Thi Minh Hang and other bloggers arrested

11th February 2014

On 11 February, a group of 21 bloggers and Hoa Hao Buddhist activists ride motorbikes from Ho Chi Minh City to Lap Vo district in Dong Thap province...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Anh Ba Sam arrested

5th May 2014

Two Vietnamese bloggers, Nguyen Huu Vinh (aka Ba Sam) and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, are arrested on 5 May for 'abusing democratic freedoms that infringe...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Three activists sentenced

19th September 2014

Cấn Thị Thêu, 52, and her husband, Trịnh Bá Khiêm, 56, are given 15 and 18 month prison terms for “resisting persons in the performance of their...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Hong Le Tho arrested

29th November 2014

Police arrest Hong Le Tho, known by his blog name Nguoi Lot Gach, or 'Brick Layer,' at his home in Ho Chi Minh City. In a statement on its website,...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Blogger Nguyen Quang Lap detained

6th December 2014

Nguyen Quang Lap (Que Choa blog) was taken into custody after police searched his home in Ho Chi Minh City. (BBC)

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Activist/Journalist detained

Activists sentenced to jail

12th February 2015

A court in Dong Nai province found Pham Minh Vu, Do Nam Trung and Le Thi Phuong Anh guilty of "abusing democratic freedoms" under Article 258. Vu...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Nguyen Viet Dung detained

12th April 2015

Nguyen Viet Dung, nickname Dung Phi Ho, was charged with "disturbing public order" under Article 245 of the penal code, a charge that would confine...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Youth Activist Nguyen Phi Detained by Security Police

11th July 2015

Phước, who also goes by Nguyễn Phi, is a 23-year-old rapper and organizer for the zombie movement, a group mobilizing around dissenting rap lyrics and...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Two young men arrested for creating anti-corruption Facebook fanpage

2nd August 2015

Two young men got arrested in Hai Phong city after creating a Facebook fanpage which gives advice on how to avoid traffic police.

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Activist/Journalist detained

Nguyen Van Dai detained on propaganda charge

16th December 2015

Vietnamese police have detained one of Vietnam’s most prominent human rights campaigners, Nguyen Van Dai, as he prepared to meet European Union...

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Activist/Journalist detained

Anh Ba Sam sentenced

23rd March 2016

Popular blogger Anh Ba Sam is sentenced to five years in jail for 'damaging the reputation of the state'. His assistance gets a lesser sentence.

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Activist/Journalist detained

Detention of Nguyen Van Dai extended

25th August 2016

Vietnam has extended the detention of the human rights lawyer, Nguyen Van Dai, whose arrest last year signalled the beginning of a wave of repression...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Nguyen Anh Tuan confession

26th April 2011

Nguyễn Anh Tuấn (born 1990), a student at the National Academy of Public Administration, sends a “confession” to the Supreme People's Procurator,...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Appeals rejected, police harass people at court

28th December 2012

The appeal court hears the case of three bloggers Điếu Cày, Tạ Phong Tần, AnhbaSG, and affirms their sentences. As at the trial court, dozens of...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Government blocks ‘Human Rights Picnics’

5th May 2013

On Sunday, 5 May 2013, a group of human rights activists made a public call for people to meet and discuss human rights issues at parks in Hanoi, Nha...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Bloggers harassed and detained

13th August 2013

Police ambush an evening English class of a group of young people in Hanoi. The young people, including bloggers and students, are escorted to the...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

International Human Rights Day ends in violence

10th December 2013

The Network of Vietnamese Bloggers attempts to celebrate International Human Rights Day in Ho Chi Minh City. Violence breaks out and many bloggers are...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Activist Nguyen Hoang Vi harassed

16th January 2015

Vietnamese security police continued to harass blogger Nguyễn Hoàng Vi and her family, obstructing their freedom of movement.

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Activists harassed in Thai Binh province

21st January 2015

A group of activists are forced to check in police station and beaten by police men in Thai Binh province after paying a visit to Tran Anh Kim.

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Police assault admin of “For A Green Hanoi” group

22nd April 2015

Trịnh Anh Tuấn, an admin of the environment group “For a Green Hanoi”, was attacked at Cổ Linh street (Long Biên district, Hanoi) at 7:45 am on April...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Hanoi blogger assaulted

11th May 2015

Blogger Nguyen Chi Tuyen (Anh Chi on facebook), a member of "For a Green Hanoi" was assaulted on 11 May 2015. Five masked men attacked him after he...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Human rights lawyers ambushed by bikers

3rd November 2015

Two lawyers have been ambushed and beaten up by assailants riding motorcycles, after taking up the case of a teenager who died in police custody. The...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Chinese leader visit to Hanoi prompts more police violence

4th November 2015

Tension is increasing in Hanoi on the eve of the visit by the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, with a significant increase in the number of attacks...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Protests turn to scuffles in HN and HCMC

8th May 2016

Protests over the government's mishandling of mass fish deaths turns violent as plainclothes police instigate fights with demonstrators. In a photo...

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Activist prevented from leaving home

15th May 2016

Nguyen Quang A is accosted outside his house and prevented from joining public demonstrations over the ongoing fish death crisis.

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Activist/Journalist harassed

Activist La Viet Dung beaten

4th September 2016

A pro-democracy activist and campaigner against China’s territorial claims has been attacked and brutally beaten by plainclothes men. La Viet Dung...

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New blog

Talawas

2003

Talawas was founded in 2001 by writer Pham Thi Hoai. At first, Talawas focused on literature. Politics and social issues were added later. In 2009,...

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New blog

X-cafe

2004

X-café is created inside a popular forum called ddth.com. X-cafe is place where people discuss social issues, and it quickly grows in popularity.

More
New blog

DanChimViet.com founded

June 2004

DanChimViet.com founded in June 2004 is a news portal that promotes human rights, democracy and development for Vietnam. In 2007, due to many hacking...

More
New blog

X-cafevn.org

Sep 2005

After X-cafe box was terminated, the members of X-café create an independent forum called X-cafévn.org. Its philosophy is “To respect differences” and...

More
New blog

Paracel Data Center

25th August 2007

A web resource is published with information on The Paracel Islands, also known as Xisha in Chinese and Hoàng Sa in Vietnamese. Many Vietnamese...

More
New blog

Blog Anh Ba Sàm

9th September 2007

Anh Ba Sam created his first blog in September 2007 using Yahoo! 360 blog service. Anh Ba Sam's real name is Nguyen Huu Vinh, he is a former...

More
New blog

Independent Journalist Club established

19th September 2007

The Free Journalists Network (FJVN) is founded by blogger Điếu Cày, Lê Xuân Lập, Huy Cường, Vũ Quốc Tú (blogger Uyên Vũ), and Ngô Thanh Tú (blogger...

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New blog

Blog Osin by Huy Duc

2007

San Truong (aka Huy Duc) is a freelance journalist based in Ho Chi Minh City who covers Vietnamese politics. After serving eight years as an officer...

More
New blog

Dan Luan forum launched

22nd January 2009

Dân Luận is founded, with the aim of observing “neutrality, rationality, and pluralism.” Dân Luận shares a server with X-cafevn.org.

More
New blog

Blog "Change We Need"

Mar 2009

A new political Yahoo! 360° blog, “Change We Need” (probably inspired by the campaign of US President Obama), becomes famous by directly attacking the...

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New blog

http://bauxitevn.info

May 2009

Professor Nguyễn Huệ Chi, elementary school teacher Phạm Toàn, and Dr. Nguyễn Thế Hùng establish a website critical of the bauxite mining project...

More
New blog

Blog Free Lê Công Định

18th June 2009

Blog appears that re-posts articles written by Le Cong Dinh and calls for his release.

More
New blog

Blog Dan Lam Bao appears

23rd August 2010

Danlambao is founded. Danlambao means “people doing journalism,” as opposed to a state-owned media. Dan Lam Bao is soon the most well-known...

More
New blog

Talawas closes down

3rd November 2010

Talawas closes down after nine years of operation. The website is still available online.

More
New blog

F-Generation ebook published

18th August 2011

The e-book “The F-Generation” is published online at Dan Lam Bao, Ba Sam and other sites as a collection of writings by Vietnamese bloggers on the...

More
New blog

'Pro & Contra' blog appears

1st January 2012

Writer Phạm Thị Hoài, who ran Talawas, sets up her new blog Pro & Contra. The blog runs until the end of 2014.

More
New blog

Quan Lam Bao blog appears

29th May 2012

Quan Làm Báo is established and becomes a hit due to a series of articles revealing the wealth of the Prime Minister's family, as well as his...

More
New blog

“The F-Generation" second edition published

5th June 2012

The second edition of “The F-Generation” is published, “reflecting the moods and thoughts experienced by Vietnamese bloggers in each of their 'online'...

More
New blog

"The winning side" published

12th December 2012

Journalist Huy Đức, also known as blogger Osin, releases on Amazon the first volume, “Liberation”, of his book 'Ben thang quoc' (The winning side). A...

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New blog

Network of Vietnamese Bloggers established

18th July 2013

A group of bloggers, calling themselves as “The Network of Vietnamese Bloggers”, release Statement 258, urging the government to amend the law to...

More
New blog

Civil Society Forum established

23rd September 2013

130 people inside and outside Vietnam sign the Declaration on Implementing Civil and Political Rights in Vietnam, and, at the same time, launch a...

More
New blog

Viet Nam Thoi Bao launched

4th July 2014

Vietnam Thoi Bao is an independent media channel.

More
New blog

'Chan Dung Quyen Luc' blog rises to fame

15th Dec 2014 - 29th Jan 2015

Chan Dung Quyen Luc (‘Portraits of Power’) becomes famous after a series of posts describing the health status of Nguyen Ba Thanh and a detailed list...

More
New blog

Crowd-sourced mapping of Hanoi trees

4th April 2015

The ‘6,700 people for 6,700 trees’ Facebook Community page shares the initial results of its crowd-sourced mapping of Hanoi trees. Check out the...

More
New blog

Recently Freed Vietnamese Blogger Re-Launches Website, Dismisses ‘Quiet...

24th August 2015

A prominent blogger and rights campaigner in Vietnam who served two years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of...

More
New blog

'Thuy Trang Nguyen' Facebook page grabs attention

13th May 2016

Thuy Trang Nguyen gets attention by posting about police tactics to pressure shopkeepers along Bui Vien St, HCM City. “Thuy Trang Nguyen” is a...

More
New event

Bauxite mine project leaked

Nov 2008

News about the “great project” of bauxite mining in Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) begins to spread in both the mainstream media and on blogs. Some...

More
New event

Blogger sues the Prime Minister

11th June 2009

Lawyer/Activist Cù Huy Hà Vũ files a lawsuit against Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng for signing Decision no. 167/2007 approving the Tây Nguyên bauxite...

More
New event

Chinese patrol boats confront Vietnamese oil exploration ship in South...

26th May 2011

Chinese maritime surveillance vessels cut the seismic exploration cables of PetroVietnam’s Bình Minh 2 vessel in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone....

More
New event

Chinese ships disturb Vietnamese vessel again

9th June 2011

Chinese fishing boats damage the cables of a ship chartered by PetroVietnam as it was engaged in seismic surveys in Vietnam's waters. According to...

More
New event

No-U football club launched

30th October 2011

No-U football club is established. “Sharing a sense of patriotism and anger towards China's aggressive acts, suffering from the same police...

More
New event

Tien Lang land appropriation case

5th January 2012

Shooting breaks out in the Tiên Lãng suburb of Hải Phòng when two fish farmers, Đoàn Văn Vươn and his younger brother Đoàn Văn Quý use improvised...

More
New event

Van Giang land case

24th April 2012

A notorious land grab takes place in the district of Văn Giang, on the outskirts of Hưng Yên province. Bloggers are first in reporting news about it,...

More
New event

CNOOC offers blocks in South China Sea

23rd June 2012

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on 27 June provides details on an oil exploration plan in the South China Sea by the country's largest offshore oil...

More
New event

Asia Commercial Bank founder arrested

21st August 2012

A founder of Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB), one of Vietnam's largest banks, Bau Kien is said to have a close relationship with Prime minister...

More
New event

Petition calls for amendment to 1992 Constitution

19th January 2013

72 intellectuals sign a petition to amend the 1992 Constitution, calling for separation of powers, for the creation of a constitutional court, and for...

More
New event

Trial on Tien Lang case

2nd April 2013

Trial against the fish farmers Đoàn Văn Vươn and Đoàn Văn Quý takes place in Hải Phòng. On April 5th, each of them receive a five-year sentence of...

More
New event

Public commments on new constitution

28th November 2013

The Vietnamese government and National Assembly urge members of the public to make recommendations for changes the constitution. Hundreds of thousands...

More
New event

1974 Hoang Sa battle commemorated

2nd January 2014

Both mainstream and internet media commemorate the Hoang Sa sea battle of 1974. This is a rare mention of the former regime of South Vietnam.

More
New event

Duong Chi Dung case

7th January 2014

Duong Chi Dung, former chairman of Vinalines, the main defendant in the Vinaline corruption case, admits he managed to flee before being captured as...

More
New event

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

5th February 2014

Vietnam has a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva on 5 February 2013. The UPR is a process all UN member states undergo every four years to...

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New event

Saigon Tiep Thi issues last edition

28th February 2014

Saigon Tiep Thi, known for anti-corruption stories, publishes its last issue before being restructured with almost entirely new staff.

More
New event

‘Light’ sentences for death in police custody case

22nd March 2014

Five policemen are accused of beating then-30-year-old Ngo Thanh Kieu to death with rubber batons in March 2012 while Kieu was handcuffed to a chair...

More
New event

China oil rig enters Vietnamese water

3rd May 2014

The $1 billion offshore oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 owned by state-run CNOOC drills in waters south of Hong Kong. Maritime Safety Administration of...

More
New event

Human rights report at UNHRC

24th June 2014

A delegation representing 10 independent organizations in Vietnam speaks for the first time on 24 June at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s...

More
New event

Tran Dinh publishes 'Den Cu'

20th August 2014

Similar to 'Ben Thang Quoc' by Huy Duc, 'Den Cu' reveals shocking stories about the Communist Party from the time of its establishment. Tran Dinh is a...

More
New event

"Right to know" campaign

2nd September 2014

Bloggers across Vietnam launch an online campaign demanding that their government keep the people closely informed about national and foreign...

More
New event

Land reform exhibit closed

8th September 2014

In September 2014, the Museum of History in Hanoi announces an exhibit on the land reform campaign of the early 1950s. A video shot at the opening...

More
New event

Ho Duy Hai case

4th December 2014

Ho Duy Hai is given the death sentence for raping and killing 2 women. Many question the evidence against him and suspect the son of a senior official...

More
New event

Nguyen Van Chuong death penalty reviewed

16th December 2014

Nguyen Van Chuong is another person under a death sentence considered to be based on suspicious evidence. His parents protest, demanding the...

More
New event

Nguoi Cao Tuoi editor fired

9th February 2015

Vietnamese police announce they will launch an investigation into a mainstream newspaper following allegations that it has slandered officials and...

More
New event

Nguyen Ba Thanh dies

13th February 2015

Nguyen Ba Thanh, 61, former top official in central Danang, dies of cancer. Many believe the cancer is a result of poisoning after a story claiming...

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New event

Blogger Me Nam wins Civil Rights Defender of the Year 2015 award

10th April 2015

Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, who blogs as Me Nam (Mother Mushroom), is announced as the 2015 Civil Rights Defender of the Year. Quỳnh is a coordinator of...

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New event

Dieu Cay meets US President Obama

1st May 2015

Dissident blogger Nguyen Van Hai (Dieu Cay), in exile in the US, met President Obama at the White House on Word Press Freedom Day, on 1 May 2015....

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New event

Facebooker arrested for allegedly circulating gossip about celebrities

12th June 2015

A facebooker, arising late last year and becoming famous for her entries revealing private life of celebrities, has been “urgently arrested” and had...

More
New event

Tree campaign generates a response

21st July 2015

The campaign to protest the planned cutting of 6,700 trees in Hanoi not only succeeded in halting the cull, but resulted in official warnings and...

More
New event

Vietnam Foreign Affairs Ministry meets social media campaigners

27th July 2015

"Embassy and me" is a social campaign created to report bad services and overcharging at Vietnamese embassies around the world. Launched in May 2015,...

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New event

Teenager dies in hospital after suspected police torture

10th October 2015

A 17-year-old boy, Do Dang Du, has died in a Hanoi hospital after sustaining severe injuries while in police custody on a theft charge. Dozens of...

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New event

Local Government ban on the use of certain Facebook features

2nd November 2015

The Chau Doc Bureau of Education and Training prohibites its officials, teachers, and students from liking, commenting on, and sharing posts related...

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New event

Teacher fined for calling province official ‘arrogant’ on Facebook

17th November 2015

Authorities in An Giang Province have announced fines against a teacher and a public utility employee for insulting a provincial leader on Facebook....

More
New event

Independents launch election campaigns

29th February 2016

Several social activists launch campaigns to stand for election in the May 2016 National Assembly elections.

More
New event

Article 292 of 2015 Penal Code threatens start-ups

17th June 2016

Activists launch campaign to halt implementation of the 2015 Criminal Code. According to Article 292 of the Code, providing unlicensed services on the...

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New event

Article 292 of Penal Code removed

6th September 2016

Civil society pressure was instrumental in the National Assembly's decision to review and ultimately remove Article 292 from the 2015 Penal Code

More
Official response

“Crazy Deputy” criticized by bloggers

17th November 2011

Mr. Hoàng Hữu Phước, deputy for Ho Chi Minh City, speaks before the National Assembly, saying “the majority of people will not support a law on...

More
Official response

PetroVietnam protests against the bidding

27th June 2012

Vietnam National Petroleum Group (PetroVietnam) holds press conference to protest CNOOC and China’s bidding process of blocks in disputed waters

More
Official response

Vietnam admits deploying 'opinion shapers'

9th January 2013

Hanoi Propaganda and Education Department head Ho Quang Loi says there are hundreds of so-called "internet polemists" in the fight against "online...

More
Official response

Decree 72 issued

15th July 2013

The Prime Minister signs Decree 72, a controversial law banning Vietnamese online users from sharing and discussing current affairs. The decree says...

More
Official response

Decree 174 on 'administrative sanctions'

13th November 2013

The government signs Decree 174 on 'administrative sanctions in the area of postal, telecommunication, IT and radio frequency,' which imposes a fine...

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Official response

PM Dung commits to open social media

15th January 2015

Vietnam's prime minister said that it is impossible to ban social media such as Facebook, calling on authorities to provide correct information to...

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Official response

Vietnam has no intention to ban social networks

25th February 2015

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan confirms Vietnam has no intention to ban social networks. He says authorities will...

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Official response

Minister of Health's official facebook fan page

28th February 2015

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien sets up a Facebook group page for her Ministry. She tells VnExpress that she will directly manage the page,...

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Official response

Vietnam passes law on Internet security amid rising cyberattacks

20th November 2015

Vietnam’s lawmakers ratified a law on safety in the cyberworld on Nov 19, at a time when the country is at high risk of cyber attacks and already...

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Official response

Vietnamese province overturns ban on Facebook use amid rebuke

23rd November 2015

Officials in a province in southern Vietnam have ordered the removal of a ban on the use of certain Facebook features, which some claimed was meant to...

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Official response

Govt tightens social media controls

19th April 2016

The government announces that students will be forbidden from “commenting on or sharing posts and photos on the Internet whose content is obscene,...

More
Public protest

First anti-Chinese protest

9th December 2007

The first anti-Chinese protest is held by bloggers and students in Hanoi and Saigon to oppose China’s decision to set up “Sansha City” to administer...

More
Public protest

Protest against Beijing Olympic 2008

29th April 2008

Youth protest at the Olympic Torch Relay in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The scale of the protests is small.

More
Public protest

Anti-China protest outside embassy

6th June 2011

Hundreds of people in Vietnam protest in front of the Chinese diplomatic missions in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City against what they see as Chinese...

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Public protest

Anti-China weekly protest

12th Jun 2011 - 21st Jun 2011

Protest is planned for every Sunday. Protests in Ho Chi Minh City are suppressed with violence. Photos circulate on Internet showing plainclothes...

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Public protest

Protest supports "Law on protests"

27th November 2011

A group of bloggers in Hanoi hold a small demonstration to “support the PM and National Assembly” in promulgating the law on protests and...

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Public protest

Anti-China protests held

1st July 2012

Anti-China protests are held in Hanoi and Saigon, and continue on the Sundays of 8 July, 22 July and 5 August 2012. Police largely stand by and watch...

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Public protest

'Justice for Đoàn Văn Vươn' protest

31st March 2013

Three students at the Ho Chi Minh City Law University, including Phạm Lê Vương Các, Nguyễn Trang Nhung, Bùi Quang Viễn, issue the “Justice for Đoàn...

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Public protest

Human rights campaign in US and EU

12th January 2014

Official campaigns call for support from the US and EU for human rights in Vietnam. A group of Vietnamese bloggers and human rights activists tours...

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Public protest

Protest in Hanoi marks 40th anniversary of Hoang Sa battle

19th January 2014

Activists chant anti-China slogans at a protest in Hanoi marking the 40th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of contested islands in the South China...

More
Public protest

Ceremony marks VN-China border interrupted by police

17th February 2014

Police interrupt a ceremony marking the 35 year anniversary of the Vietnam-China border war in Hanoi.

More
Public protest

Anti-China protest in Vietnam and overseas

11th May 2014

A series of anti-China protests followed by unrest and riots spread across Vietnam in May 2014 in response to China deploying an oil rig in a disputed...

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Public protest

Violent riot in Binh Duong province

12th May 2014 - 13th May 2014

Workers in a Binh Duong industrial park go on strike to join the anti-China protests. The protests in Binh Duong and Dong Nai escalate into a violent...

More
Public protest

Violent riot in Vung Ang

14th May 2014

Riots flare up in the Formosa Steel Mill in Vung Ang, in central Ha Tinh province, in response to a rumour of a Vietnamese worker killed there....

More
Public protest

"I don't like" campaign

4th Jan 2015 - 31st Jan 2015

For the first time, political activists in Vietnam use viral social media marketing techniques to express dissent online. Dozens of people post selfie...

More
Public protest

Protest against a tree-cutting plan in Hanoi

20th March 2015

Vietnam abandoned plans to strip Hanoi's leafy boulevards of thousands of trees after it triggered an outraged social media campaign and an unusual...

More
Public protest

Campaign stepped up against China visit

3rd November 2015

Activists in Vietnam have set up small protests against the visit of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, accusing China of aggression in the disputed...

More
Public protest

Pressure mounts over fish deaths

26th April 2016

The government's slow response to mass fish deaths in central Vietnam causes a firestorm of social media critique and rumors. Taiwanese company...

More
Public protest

Police prevent third week of protest

16th May 2016

Police in Hanoi and HCM City blockade streets and stop protesters from gathering for a third week of demonstrations over the mass fish deaths in...

More
Tech-related event

Yahoo! 360 blog service

Jun 2005

Yahoo! 360 blog service launches and quickly becomes the most popular blog platform in Vietnam due to the wide use of Yahoo! Messenger and Yahoo!...

More
Tech-related event

Yahoo! 360 terminated

13th July 2009

Yahoo! 360° is closed down permanently. The community of bloggers in Vietnam splits up. Some move to Yahoo! 360° Plus. Others choose Wordpress,...

More
Tech-related event

The rise of Facebook

Jul 2009

Not long after Yahoo! 360 is terminated, Facebook becomes the most popular social network in Vietnam. Many activists move to Facebook, in part because...

More
Tech-related event

Facebook blocked (first time)

Sep 2009

Facebook is blocked for the first time. Facebook users spread circumvention guidelines, greatly increasing knowledge on how to circumvent firewalls...

More
Tech-related event

Facebook blocked (second time)

Dec 2009

The second Facebook block is more substantial and effective than the first block.

More
Tech-related event

DDOS attack

20th January 2010

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận are subjected to denial of service attacks for the first time, coinciding with the court trial of four political dissidents:...

More
Tech-related event

Hacker attacks

28th February 2010

Hacker group Sinh Tử Lệnh penetrates X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận, stealing private registrations of members and posting them at sinhtulenh.org. While...

More
Tech-related event

Hacking attacks

23rd August 2010

The blog Free Le Cong Dinh (the forerunner of Danlambao), Thư viện Hà Sĩ Phu, Thông Luận, Tiền Vệ, X-Cafe and Talawas are all hacked and made...

More
Tech-related event

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận hacked again

23rd August 2011

X-cafevn.org and Dân Luận are hacked for the second time by Sinh Tử Lệnh. All data from the sites is deleted. Not only attacking political opposition...

More
Tech-related event

Anh Ba Sam blog hacked

8th March 2013

Anh Ba Sam, one of the most popular blogs, is hacked after a lively debate on how the Vietnamese Constitution ought to be revised. This despite the...

More
Tech-related event

Fake Facebook abuse reports

21st July 2014

Authorities in Vietnam blast a deluge of reports on activists' Facebook pages accusing them of abusing the popular social network. This triggers an...

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Tech-related event

Hackers attack VC Corp data center

13th October 2014

Six online newspapers were inaccessible starting on 13 October (Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Day), resulting in a loss of VND2.5 billion a day for VC...

More
Tech-related event

Viet Nam Thoi Bao hacked

22nd January 2015

Viet Nam Thoi Bao is hacked shortly after announcing it has reached 137,000 daily visits. No major loss of data occurs.

More
Tech-related event

Chinese hackers snooping on Vietnam for 10 years

12th April 2015

FireEye has released a report saying that Chinese hackers were behind a series of cyber attacks on Vietnam, other Southeast Asian countries and India...

More
Tech-related event

Noi Bai Airport network hacked

29th July 2016

Flight display screens at Vietnam's two largest airports were hacked to show messages criticising Vietnam's claims of territory in the South China...

More

Activist released or dies

Activist/Journalist detained

Activist/Journalist harassed

New blog

New event

Official response

Public protest

Tech-related event

September 2016

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    By SecDev Foundation
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    Blogging Politics in Vietnam 2003-2015

    A timeline of Vietnam's blogging movement and related political events.

    Click the 'spanner' icon at bottom right to change the timeline view type, the spacing and zoom, or to select only one or more categories to view.

    NaN of 168 stories

    Article 292 of Penal Code removed
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