Updated Feb. 27, 2025, 03:55 a.m. ET.
BANGKOK – A court in Vietnam jailed a well-known writer for two-and-a-half years on Thursday, sources close to the family told Radio Free Asia.
Truong Huy San, 64, was convicted of “abusing democratic freedoms” in connection with his Facebook posts about current affairs, including the environment and corruption.
San, better-known as “The Winning Side” author Huy Duc, was found guilty under a vaguely worded article of the criminal code. He has been in detention since his arrest on June 7, 2024, in spite of international calls for his release without charge.
Between 2015 and 2024, San, “gathered information and documents, drafted, and posted numerous articles on his personal Facebook page - Truong Huy San (Osin Huy Duc). Thirteen of these articles allegedly infringed upon State interests and the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals,” state media cited the indictment as saying.
“The posts attracted significant interaction, comments, and shares, negatively impacting public security and social order.”
San told the court he didn’t intend to oppose the ruling Communist Party or state when he posted the articles, state media reported, adding that he took responsibility for his actions and apologized to affected agencies, organizations and individuals.
In his final statement, San admitted breaking the law and asked the trial council to reduce his sentence “so that he could participate in social activities,” the Vietnam News Agency said.
San has not decided whether to appeal, a source, who didn’t want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the case, told RFA.
One Vietnamese journalist, who also requested anonymity, said the sentence was relatively light and could be grounds for optimism.
“This sentence is completely different from the speculations and judgments on social networks that journalist Huy Duc will serve a sentence of five to six years. I do not know if the Vietnamese government has now begun to show a tolerant attitude, or if there is another factor that makes them give Huy Duc a light sentence,” the journalist said.
Soldier turned writer
San joined North Vietnam’s volunteer army at 18, serving in Cambodia during Vietnam’s occupation of the country in the 1980s.
He then joined youth newspaper Tuoi Tre and also wrote for Thanh Nien, Dien Dan Doanh Nghiep, Nong Thon Ngay Nay, and Sai Gon Tiep Thi.
After falling foul of authorities, San switched to blogging on social media and writing books. In 2012, he published “The Winning Side,” which discussed history from the perspective of the 1954-1975 Vietnam War. The book is not openly available in Vietnam.
His Facebook page had more than 350,000 followers before it was taken down.
San wrote about environmental issues, the “blazing furnace” anti-corruption campaign championed by the late Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and corruption in the ministry of public security, headed at the time by To Lam, the current general secretary.
International human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders have called on Hanoi to free him.
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The government uses two articles of the criminal code to silence journalists and other critics.
Article 331 covers people accused of, “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state, lawful rights, and interests of organizations and/or citizens.”
Article 117 relates to “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”
If found guilty, which critics invariably are, offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years.
“When an author and journalist like Truong Huy San is silenced, it is not only his voice that is silenced, but also the right of the entire society to seek truth and accountability,” said Anh-Thu Vo, research and advocacy manager at writers’ rights group PEN America ahead of his trial..
“Criticism is not a crime. Vietnam needs to use the law as a weapon against those who dare to speak the truth.”
According to the group’s 2023 Freedom to Write report, Vietnam ranked third in the world for jailing writers, behind China and Iran.
Vietnam is holding at least 38 journalists, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said in a December study.
RFA Vietnamese contributed to this article.
Edited by RFA Staff.
Updated with comment from a Vietnamese journalist.