Vietnam: New media restrictions tighten controls on independent journalism

Two new legislative amendments passed by Vietnam's parliament will pose significant safety risks for journalists, with media outlets forced to disclose their sources and further controls on content through amendments to the country's state secrets law. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the new legislation and urges the government to uphold its commitment to press freedom as guaranteed in Vietnam's constitution.

On December 10 2025, Vietnam's parliament approved legislation that will compel journalists to disclose sources under certain circumstances and ban the online dissemination of "anti-state" information, sparking criticism from press freedom advocates. Credit: NHAC NGUYEN / AFP

The National Assembly of Vietnam convenedon December 10 to adopt two new legal reforms, including a change to the press law that would grant the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) power to compel journalists to reveal the private information and identity of sources upon request of state authorities. Under the amendment, police would be able to request the identity of a source during the investigation of any crime, a power currently held only by court judges for the investigation of serious crimes.

The amended bill states that all media outlets must comply with regulations against the publication of 'banned information' and all published material must be archived in the case of an investigation. The definition of what constitutes 'banned information' remains undisclosed. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, yet a full copy of the amended press law is still to be released, with the latest publicly circulatedversion a shortened draft from a public consultation in February.

In a separate amendmentto the Protection of State Secrets Bill, the government will expand a ban on discourse deemed 'anti-state' by increasing the number of categories of protected information. The definition of 'state secrets' will now include details of leaders' overseas programs, state compensation, and settlements of international investment disputes, with the new bill taking effect on March 1, 2026.

The newly amended laws follow the government's recent escalation of media suppression, including the suspensionof social media platform Telegram in June by the Ministry of Information and Communications on the grounds of spreading anti-government content, as well as bans on prominent foreign media, including The Economist in May.

The IFJ said: "The Vietnamese government continues to crack down on critical voices, suppressing communications channels, forcing the disclosure of sources, and criminalising dissent. IFJ calls for these new amendments to be overturned and for the authorities to uphold the right of journalists to report freely and without fear as per Vietnam's constitution."