Director of Vietnam Writers' Association Publishing House and two others indicted

Nguyen Thuy Hang, director of the Vietnam Writers' Association Publishing House, has been indicted for alleged violations related to the book "Chuyen voi Thanh - new accounts of light".

On the evening of 15/7, Hanoi Police announced that the Hanoi Police Department's Investigation Security Agency had indicted and temporarily detained Nguyen Thuy Hang, 50, along with Dao Ba Doan, 55, Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam Writers' Association Publishing House, and Nguyen Van Yen, 64, Head of the Editorial Board for the same publishing house. They are being investigated for making, possessing, disseminating, or propagating information, documents, and items against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, under Article 117 of the Penal Code.

This development stems from the Investigation Security Agency's ongoing probe into the book "Chuyen voi Thanh - new accounts of light" and several videos deemed to contain unlawful content. Hanoi Police stated the three defendants edited, revised, published, and promoted the book.

Defendant Nguyen Thuy Hang. *Photo: Hanoi Police Department*

According to a VTV news report tonight, defendant Doan, as Editor-in-Chief, and defendant Yen, as Head of the Editorial Board, were responsible for reviewing and editing the book's content. From June to late September 2025, they read, edited, and revised the book.

In January 2026, the Vietnam Writers' Association Publishing House signed a book publishing cooperation contract with defendant Nguyen Thanh Nam. Nam submitted 1 billion VND to the publishing house. Of this amount, 120 million VND was allocated to three individuals directly involved in revising the manuscript, and nearly 280 million VND was used for printing, advertising, and launching the book. The remaining 600 million VND is currently in the publishing house's cash fund, VTV reported.

Defendant Dao Ba Doan. *Photo: Hanoi Police Department*

Under the same charge of Article 117, the Hanoi Police Department's Investigation Security Agency previously indicted and detained defendant Nam, 65, and Tran Viet Anh, 33, on the evening of 7/7.

The investigative agency determined that defendants Nam and Viet Anh produced, possessed, and disseminated the aforementioned materials. These materials contained content that distorted the history of revolutions and the Party and State's policies and guidelines, and insulted President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and many other Party and State leaders.