After Huy Duc (aka Blogger Osin) was arrested, journalist Manh Kim said he was at the top of the arrest list of Vietnam’s police in 2024. He wrote:“A few months ago, I received a call from Mr. T. He said that a reliable source of his reported that the list of people being arrested this year had the name Huy Duc. Not only his name, Huy Duc is also at the top of the list. Therefore, arresting Huy Duc is only a matter of time. I believe Huy Duc is well aware of the level of personal threat.”
Through observations, journalist Manh Kim found that in the past, security often only arrested organized activists, those who publicly called for promoting civil society activities, and those who had contact with foreign organizations, and those who met with Western diplomats when they came to learn about Vietnam’s human rights situation. For independent “objects,” no matter how strong their influence, just voicing their opinions is still “safe.”
That was before, but in recent years, according to Manh Kim, no one can be safe anymore, because security and police have changed:
“Their target audience is broader. The level of threat is higher. No one can be safe anymore… “new” as well as “old,” “active” or not, almost anyone with a “political record” is likely to be arrested. And the police want to catch, not just monitor and follow like in the past. Police are even willing to arrest people who no one believes can be arrested with very unclear accusations.”
So when he heard about the “2024 list,” journalist Manh Kim no longer had any doubts – about the inviolability of some people who he once believed were not subjects that security needed to arrest. He commented that this is a policy of terrorizing people with fear:
“In the past, I believed that security forces always consider the public opinion, “public opinion shock”, the impact and influence of the arrest, not only on domestic society but also on foreign reactions. Now, I see that this “belief” is no longer “founded.” Now, public opinion towards the government no longer means anything. The whole country is living in fear. The policy of terrorizing people with fear has been almost absolutely successful.”
Concluding his article, journalist Manh Kim emphasized:
“Now, no one can be ‘safe,’ whether a member of a faction or an independent person not affiliated with any organization, including non-governmental organizations. There has been and will be no more critical voices. There is no more critical thinking…”
Journalist Huy Duc sitting in the car appeared after he was arrested on June 1, 2024
Manh Kim
