Vietnam: Journalist issued arrest warrant for anti-state propaganda

Hanoi police have issued a special arrest warrant for independent journalist Doan Bao Chau, who is currently in hiding, accusing him of allegedly disseminating anti-state propaganda. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the authorities to withdraw all charges against Chau and ensure Vietnamese journalists can work free of legal persecution.

Doan Bao Chau was issued an arrest warrant by Hanoi police on August 14, accusing him of disseminating anti-state propaganda. Credit: Facebook

Chau was issued the warrant on August 14 under Article 117 of Vietnam's Penal Code, which criminalises the "making, storing, disseminating or propagandising information, materials, and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," following a raid on his home on July 3 by over 20 police officers.

The charges come after more than a year of harassment from police, beginning with a summons in June 2024 from Vietnam's Security Investigation Agency. Chau was accused of spreading content critical of authorities, including interviews discussing social issues in Vietnam, and was presented with a document that prohibited him from leaving the country.

The journalist fled Vietnam due to personal safety concerns and has been living in hiding since July 2024. A former reporter and freelance photographer for several international media outlets, including Reuters, Associated Press, The New York Times, and Agence France-Presse, Chau now reports through his personal Facebook page.

Since leaving Vietnam, local authorities have frequently harassed Chau's family in an effort to locate him, visiting his home multiple times, summoning his wife for questioning,raiding the homes of siblings, and contacting his son's teachers and friends.

A number of other journalists have been charged under Article 117 since 2024, including Truong Huy San, who was sentenced to 30 months in jail for anti-state reporting on social media in March 2025, blogger Duong Van, sentenced to 12 years in jail for publishing commentary on government corruption, and Nguyen Vu Binh, sentenced to seven years in prison also on charges of propaganda against the state in September 2024.

The IFJ said:"The ongoing legal harassment of Doan Bao Chau reflects a concerning pattern of intimidation towards independent media workers under Article 117, which is increasingly used to quash critical voices and suppress press freedom in Vietnam. All charges against Chau must be dropped and the authorities must cease the persecution of journalists and their families for reporting in the public interest."