On 5/8, the Ho Chi Minh City Police's Economic Police Department (PC03) announced that the investigative police agency had initiated two cases, indicting Nguyen Thi Hien (also known as Phuong Diem Huyen) and Nguyen Thanh Hiep. They face investigation for copyright and related rights infringement, under Article 225 of the Penal Code.
Hien is a freelance singer who owns the YouTube channel "Phuong Diem Huyen." She managed the channel in cooperation with BH Media, and it boasts hundreds of thousands of subscribers and thousands of bolero and lyrical music videos.
According to investigators, Hien uploaded numerous musical works by various authors to her YouTube channel without permission or royalty payments. Many of these videos garnered millions of views.
These actions are alleged to have caused hundreds of millions of dong in copyright damages to the authors, while Hien illicitly profited hundreds of millions of dong from YouTube.
Over 200 videos identified as copyright infringements
In a separate case, Nguyen Thanh Hiep, director of Unicorn Viet Nam Media and Entertainment Co., Ltd., who manages the YouTube channel "liveshowunicorn2988," also partnered with BH Media.
According to the investigative agency, from 2021 to 2026, Hiep illegally uploaded hundreds of musical works by authors who are members of the Viet Nam Center for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC) to YouTube without permission or royalty payments.
Of nearly 1,000 videos on the channel, over 200 were identified as infringing.
Investigators believe Hiep's actions caused over 100 million dong in copyright damages to the authors, allowing the accused to gain hundreds of millions of dong in illicit profits.
Following the indictments, the investigative agency applied preventive measures against the two defendants in accordance with regulations.
Performance licenses do not equate to the right to upload music to YouTube
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Police, the initiation of these two cases is part of a broader campaign to combat intellectual property infringement, following directives from the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Public Security. This effort also aims to expand actions against online copyright violations.
Authorities emphasize that a license to organize a performance does not grant the right to record, film, or upload works online. Exploiting these rights requires explicit permission from the copyright holder as stipulated by law.
The Ho Chi Minh City Police urged organizations and individuals currently in violation to voluntarily cease their activities, rectify the consequences, and cooperate with authorities.
Pham Hai
