January 25, 2015
On January 23, 2015, La Viet Dung, the founder of the “I Don’t Like the Communist Party of Vietnam” campaign, was detained overnight by the Vietnamese government. A prominent Internet activist, Dung is known for his involvement in No-U Hanoi, a well-known football club in Hanoi known for its activity addressing various social issues within the country including Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and Vietnamese sovereignty. Throughout the night, Mr. Dung was detained and extensively questioned without legal counsel after confronting security police that attempted to encroach on another person’s property without their consent.
According to activists involved in the incident, it is believed that Dung’s arrest was a vindictive act of revenge by Vietnamese authorities for his founding of the “I Don’t LIke the Communist Party of Vietnam” campaign. This campaign has sparked a growing movement among the populace of Vietnam, bringing dozens of organizations and thousands of irritated citizens together to express their indignation against the disparaging social issues and corruption that plagues the communist government today. The campaign is just the first of many in a movement by everyday citizens that has openly criticized the communist government for their corrupt and authoritarian actions the past few years. This includes recent decisions in 2014 that have placed tougher laws on those who choose to speak out against the Party and State.
Dung was shortly released the following morning by authorities. No charges have been made against him for his involvement with confronting security police earlier in the week.