A BBC journalist, who is a Vietnamese citizen living in Thailand, was barred from leaving the country and subjected to days of interrogation by police while renewing their passport in August. The journalist’s case has come to light during a recent visit to the UK by Vietnam’s leader, General Secretary Tô Lâm.
The journalist was held without their ID card or renewed passport for several months, leading to multiple days of questioning by authorities. Friends and colleagues hope that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will raise the issue with General Tô Lâm during his visit.
Vietnam is known for its restrictive environment towards journalists, who face significant challenges in operating freely due to censorship and strict control from the Communist party. This case highlights the country’s poor record on media freedom, ranking 173rd out of 180 countries by Reporters sans Frontières.
The BBC has expressed concern over the journalist’s wellbeing and urged authorities to allow them to leave immediately, providing their passport so they can return to work. The UK government is under pressure to take action to protect media freedom in Vietnam during General Tô Lâm’s visit.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/29/bbc-journalist-barred-from-leaving-vietnam-and-repeatedly-interrogated