Covid-19 regulations. Informal workers punishments. In early August, police arrested faced acute pandemic-related hardship due Trần Hoàng Huấn for sharing criticism of the to inadequate social assistance, and young government’s Covid-19 response on LGBTI people were at heighted risk of Facebook. On 2 September, police fined discrimination. Facebook user Nguyễn Thùy Dương 5 BACKGROUND million Vietnamese Dong (approximately US$210) after she shared an online post A new Party Central Committee and Politburo criticizing the authorities for neglecting Ho was elected at the 13th National Congress of Chi Minh City residents and allowing them to the CPV in January to lead the party and the go hungry during Covid-19 lockdowns. In country for the next five years. The election October, four people were arrested and results meant continuity of the ruling party’s charged under various articles of the Criminal repressive approach to dissent and human Code for posting comments on Facebook that rights. National Assembly elections followed were critical of the government’s response to on 23 May. They confirmed the formal Covid-19. They remained in detention at election of legislators and the re-election of year’s end. Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính. HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND In February, an investigation by Amnesty REPRESSION OF DISSENT International revealed a campaign of unlawful Intolerance of dissent hardened further surveillance targeting human rights throughout the year and the right to freedom defenders conducted between February of expression continued to be restricted. 2018 and November 2020. The spyware Arbitrary arrests and prosecutions of attacks were attributed to a group known as journalists, publishers and others who Ocean Lotus, and targeted Vietnamese criticized the government or the CPV activists both inside and outside the country. increased. Among them was Bùi Thanh Hiếu, a blogger Before the National Assembly elections in and pro-democracy activist residing in May, the authorities initiated a crackdown on Germany. The Vietnamese Overseas Initiative independent election candidates and those for Conscience Empowerment (VOICE), a critical of the election process. In March, non-profit organization supporting political commentator Trần Quốc Khánh and Vietnamese refugees and promoting human citizen journalist Lê Trọng Hùng were rights in Viet Nam with offices in the USA and arrested under Article 117 of the 2015 the Philippines, was also targeted.2 Criminal Code, which criminalizes “making, Prominent journalist, author and human storing or spreading information, materials or rights defender Phạm Đoan Trang, who was items for the purpose of opposing the State of arrested in October 2020, was sentenced to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam” and nine years’ imprisonment by The People’s carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ Court of Hanoi on 14 December 2021. She imprisonment. Both had applied to be was charged under Article 88 of the 1999 independent (or “self-nominated”) Penal Code for “storing, distributing or candidates for the National Assembly disseminating information, documents and elections. On 31 December, Lê Trọng Hùng items against the Socialist Republic of Viet was sentenced to five years in prison and five Nam”, in relation to articles she had written years’ probation. In March, police arrested about the environment and human rights, medical doctor Nguyễn Duy Hướng for and interviews she gave to foreign media writing articles on his Facebook account that outlets. Prior to her trial, Phạm Đoan Trang were critical of government policies.1 had been held in incommunicado detention Critics of the government’s response to the for over a year. Covid-19 pandemic also faced harsh Amnesty International Report 2021/22 404