Rights group urges Vietnam to release five arrested over Ho Chi Minh book

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday called on Vietnam to release a former business executive and four other people over their roles in the publication and promotion of a book about Ho Chi Minh that allegedly contained anti-state content.



Police two weeks ago arrested Nguyen Thanh Nam, author of the book titled "In Conversation with Thanh: A New Account of the Light," on charges of making, storing and disseminating anti-state propaganda, according to the Ministry of Public Security.



Police have subsequently arrested four other people, including senior officials from the Vietnam Writers' Association Publishing House, on similar charges.

"The wave of arrests for a book about Ho Chi Minh sends a chilling message to all Vietnamese writers, journalists, and publishers that the proclaimed new era of 'national rise' just means more repression," said Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch's Asia director, in a statement.



Despite decades of economic reform and greater social openness, Vietnam's ruling Communist Party maintains strict control over the media and tolerates little dissent.