A BBC journalist was denied exit from Vietnam and subjected to days of intense questioning, a worrying sign in a country where press freedom is severely curtailed. The journalist, who lives and works in Thailand but holds dual nationality with Vietnam, had simply returned home in August to renew their passport.
However, the authorities intervened, seizing control of the passport renewal process and holding it hostage until the journalist was subjected to questioning about their journalism and work. This prolonged interrogation, which some close friends describe as "torture," has kept the journalist trapped in the country for months.
As fate would have it, this case comes to light during a high-profile visit by Vietnam's leader, General Secretary Tô Lâm, who is currently in the UK. The BBC has confirmed that one of its journalists was unable to leave Vietnam due to the authorities' refusal to return their passport and ID card, citing concerns for the journalist's wellbeing.
This incident highlights the extreme restrictions on press freedom in Vietnam, where domestic media is tightly censored, and dissenters are regularly jailed. Reporters sans Frontières ranks Vietnam as one of the worst countries in the world for media freedoms, describing it as "one of the world's biggest prisons for journalists."
The British government has been urged to raise this case with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his meeting with General Secretary Tô Lâm, but so far, there is no official comment from the Vietnamese government. The BBC has called on the authorities to allow its journalist to leave immediately and provide them with their passport, allowing them to return to work.
This case serves as a stark reminder of Vietnam's repressive environment for journalists, who cannot operate freely in the one-party state controlled by the Communist party.
However, the authorities intervened, seizing control of the passport renewal process and holding it hostage until the journalist was subjected to questioning about their journalism and work. This prolonged interrogation, which some close friends describe as "torture," has kept the journalist trapped in the country for months.
As fate would have it, this case comes to light during a high-profile visit by Vietnam's leader, General Secretary Tô Lâm, who is currently in the UK. The BBC has confirmed that one of its journalists was unable to leave Vietnam due to the authorities' refusal to return their passport and ID card, citing concerns for the journalist's wellbeing.
This incident highlights the extreme restrictions on press freedom in Vietnam, where domestic media is tightly censored, and dissenters are regularly jailed. Reporters sans Frontières ranks Vietnam as one of the worst countries in the world for media freedoms, describing it as "one of the world's biggest prisons for journalists."
The British government has been urged to raise this case with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his meeting with General Secretary Tô Lâm, but so far, there is no official comment from the Vietnamese government. The BBC has called on the authorities to allow its journalist to leave immediately and provide them with their passport, allowing them to return to work.
This case serves as a stark reminder of Vietnam's repressive environment for journalists, who cannot operate freely in the one-party state controlled by the Communist party.
! I mean, what even is the point of having a passport if you're just gonna be held hostage by the authorities? Like, I get that they might have some legit concerns about national security and all that, but come on, that's not an excuse for torturing someone over their job. 
And the fact that this journalist has been trapped in the country for months is absolutely disgusting 
. It's like they're trying to silence them or something.
. I mean, come on Vietnam, you can't just take away people's freedom of speech and press freedom without any consequences 
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this is getting crazy 
that sounds like a legit excuse for authorities to mess with people they don't like, imo. we all know press freedom is already super limited in vietnam, but this takes it to a whole new level... i mean, torture? 
I mean, I get it, they're just doing their job, but holding someone's passport hostage? That's some crazy stuff 
. It's not surprising that Reporters sans Frontières is saying Vietnam is one of the worst countries for journalists, it's like a nightmare come true 
. The fact that the British government isn't saying anything about this either makes me think they're just trying to stay out of it 
. But seriously, how can you even do your job as a journalist when there's no freedom of press? It's like, what's next? 
"A country that will not stand up for its own is of no use to others." – Nelson Mandela 
. It's like they're saying "we don't trust you" and it's not even because of any wrongdoing on their part. The fact that the authorities are using this as a way to silence critics is worrying 
. Vietnam really needs to step up its game when it comes to press freedom - it's not just about the BBC journalist, it's about all journalists who can't operate freely there 
. It's like the authorities want us to keep quiet and follow the rules, without questioning anything too much 
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. What if they needed to leave for medical reasons or something? The Vietnamese government should be supporting its citizens' rights, not restricting them 
. We need more pressure on Vietnam to open up and allow journalists to do their job without fear of persecution 
. It's time for us to speak out against these restrictions and support our fellow journalists around the world 
This is so concerning - a journalist just trying to renew their passport and ends up being held hostage 
. It's like they're saying "we don't trust you" without even having an explanation 
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. And it's not just this one case, Vietnam is actually ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for media freedom 
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BBC journalist stuck in Vietnam for months and they're still asking questions about their journalism... like, can't they just give them their passport back already? 
this whole situation is super suspicious and it's making me think that Vietnam is hiding something from the world. 
The thought of being trapped for months without any freedom to leave or work is just horrific. And to make matters worse, it's happening right under General Secretary Tô Lâm's nose during his visit to the UK. Like, can't they see this is a huge PR disaster waiting to happen? 
The British government needs to step in ASAP and demand that Vietnam lets this journalist go! We need to hold our leaders accountable for these human rights abuses 
It's not like the journalist was doing anything wrong, just asking questions and doing their job. And now they're being held for months? That's just unacceptable 