During a regular press briefing on July 23, 2026, Pham Thu Hang, the spokesperson for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed inquiries concerning a statement from Human Rights Watch (HRW). The organization had called for the release of five individuals who were prosecuted in connection with the book "Stories with Thanh - A New Account of Light." Pham emphasized that the accusations made by HRW are not deserving of commentary.

Human Rights Watch, established in 1978 in the United States, has frequently issued critiques that Vietnam considers to be biased and based on misleading information about the country's situation. Vietnamese authorities and scholars have consistently refuted these claims, asserting that HRW's assessments lack objectivity and misrepresent Vietnam's circumstances.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the Hanoi Security Investigation Agency has initiated legal proceedings against individuals including Nguyen Thanh Nam, aged 65, and Tran Viet Anh, aged 33, for allegedly producing, storing, distributing, or disseminating information and materials aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Investigations revealed that these individuals had engaged in activities involving the production and distribution of various videos and the aforementioned book, which is said to distort the history of Vietnam's revolutionary movements and insult prominent leaders including President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap. As the investigation expands, additional individuals associated with the publishing house involved in this case have also been charged.