Authorities have arrested the author of a recently published book about Ho Chi Minh, founder of the country’s Communist Party, on anti-state charges, Hanoi police announced.
Nguyen Thanh Nam, a founder and former CEO of Vietnam’s FPT telecom giant, sparked controversy in May with the publication of Stories with Thanh – A New Account of Light.
The book, which has since been recalled by its publisher under pressure from authorities, recounts Ho Chi Minh’s years abroad seeking ways to spark national liberation back home.
Nam stands accused of “distorting the history of revolutions, the policies and guidelines of the party and state, insulting President Ho Chi Minh ... and many other party and state leaders”, according to the statement by Hanoi police.
Influencer Tran Viet Anh faces the same accusations for discussing the book on his social media channels.
Nam was arrested last week while Anh was taken into custody Tuesday for “producing, possessing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents, or items aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, police said.
Nam, 64, is a well-known figure of Vietnam’s start-up scene.
Anh, 33, was among the founders of Spiderum, a social platform for young intellectuals with 10 million members.
Nam has apologised for the book in a nationally televised speech, saying: “I acknowledge the presence of factual errors and false assertions that run counter to the guidelines and policies of the party and state, tarnishing the image of President Ho Chi Minh, causing confusion among the public.”
Vietnam’s communist leaders brook little dissent and regularly jail their critics, more than 160 of whom are currently behind bars, according to Human Rights Watch. — AFP
