September 25, 2012
When the war in Vietnam ended in April 1975, about 1.5 million people had died on each side, but that heavy death toll did not usher in a period of reconciliation and tolerance. Almost 40 years later, Vietnam ranks 172 out of 179 countries in the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. One has only to consider yesterday’s sentencing of three bloggers to lengthy prison terms to see why it sit firmly towards the bottom of that scale and why Reporters Without Borders calls the government of Vietnam the “enemy of the internet”.
Nguyen Van Hai, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Ta Phong Tan, a former policewoman, whose mother had self-immolated to protest against her detention, was given 10 years, while Phan Thanh Hai, received the shorter sentence of four years for having pleaded guilty.
All non state-run media is banned in Vietnam, so radio, press and television are no better off. And clearly nor are the people.
The Presidential Palace in Hanoi
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