Key Events

• Freedom House: Vietnam’s Internet is ‘Not Free’
• Foreign Affairs Spokesperson: Hanoi Will Coordinate with Thai Authorities to Extradite Y Quynh Bdap
• Trinh Ba Tu and Bui Van Thuan, Prisoners of Conscience, Continue Hunger Strikes for Nearly Three Consecutive Weeks

Freedom House: Vietnam’s Internet is ‘Not Free’

Freedom House, a  pro-democracy NGO based in Washington D.C., has classified Vietnam as “not free” when it comes to internet freedom. The ranking was made in the organization’s  annual report released on Oct. 16. This year, the Southeast Asian country received a score of 22 out of 100, similar to that in 2023. The score is analyzed based on three criteria: Obstacles to Access, Limits on Content, and Violations of User Rights. According to Freedom House, countries with the highest score of 100 are considered the most free.

Vietnam receives 12 points out of 25 on “Obstacles to Access,” six out of 35 on “Limits on Content,” and only four out of 40 when it comes to “Violations of User Rights.” Freedom House’s evaluation shows that the government has continued to restrict Vietnamese citizens’ right to a liberal internet environment by punishing internet users, forcing social media platforms to comply with content moderation and censorship requests.