As the year draws to a close, the activist community in Vietnam has been met with concerning news. Le Huu Minh Tuan, 34, reached out to his family last week, informing them of a significant decline in his health.

Tuan, an editor and an Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam (IJAVN) member, was sentenced to 11 years in January 2021 under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Penal Code. This specific provision has been a tool frequently utilized against journalists and political dissidents within the country. During Vietnam’s past Universal Periodic Review (UPR) sessions, there have been persistent international appeals for repealing Article 117, citing concerns over freedom of expression and human rights.