The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has responded to allegations of human rights violations concerning the book 'Chuyện với Thanh' (A New Account of Light) by stating that the accusations made by Human Rights Watch (HRW) are not worthy of commentary. This remark was made by spokesperson Pham Thu Hang during a regular press conference held on July 23.

HRW had previously called on the Vietnamese government to release Nguyen Thanh Nam and four others related to the book. Elaine Pearson, HRW's Asia Director, expressed concern in a statement, saying, "The wave of arrests over a book about Ho Chi Minh sends a chilling message to all writers, journalists, and publishers that the declaration of a new era of 'rising' merely means increased repression."

Vietnamese media has also reported that HRW, established in 1978 in the United States, has frequently made negative comments based on misinformation regarding the situation in various countries, including Vietnam. Prior to Nam's arrest, his book had garnered significant media attention in Vietnam, only to be subsequently removed from coverage after some criticized him for 'distorting history'. Following his arrest, social media has seen a continued wave of denunciations against those associated with 'Chuyện với Thanh'.

The situation highlights ongoing tensions between the Vietnamese government and human rights organizations, as well as the challenges faced by authors and journalists in the country.