The BBC has said that one of its journalists was detained, questioned for several hours, and prevented from leaving Vietnam, in an incident it describes as “a serious threat to foreign media.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, the British public broadcaster said its Singapore-based correspondent, Jonathan Head, was stopped at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport on Sunday as he attempted to depart the country after a reporting trip.
According to the BBC, Mr. Head had his passport and phone confiscated and was subjected to questioning by immigration and security officials for more than six hours. He was subsequently informed that he was barred from leaving Vietnam and his passport was returned with an official stamp indicating the travel ban.
No specific reason for the ban was given to Mr. Head, a veteran journalist who has covered Southeast Asia for the BBC for over two decades.
The incident occurred shortly after Mr. Head completed a reporting assignment in the country. The BBC stated that his work in Vietnam was conducted with the appropriate journalist visas and in full compliance with Vietnamese law.
“We are deeply concerned by this action, which represents a serious threat to foreign media and the public’s right to impartial news and information,” a BBC spokesperson said.
“We call on the Vietnamese authorities to reverse this travel ban immediately and allow our journalist to leave. We also seek a full explanation for this unwarranted and disproportionate action.”
A Pattern of Pressure on Media
While foreign journalists operating in Vietnam frequently face significant hurdles—including delayed or denied visas, official monitoring, and restrictions on movement—an outright travel ban preventing departure is a notably severe escalation.
Rights groups have long ranked Vietnam among the world’s worst offenders for press freedom. The country is run by a single-party communist state that tightly controls all domestic media. Reporting on sensitive topics such as human rights, political dissent, land disputes, and corruption is strictly off-limits for local press and heavily scrutinized when attempted by foreign correspondents.
Analysts suggest this move signals a further tightening of control over information as the government seeks to manage its narrative amid rapid economic development and complex international relations.
“This is an alarming development,” said Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. “Preventing a journalist from leaving the country is a tactic more commonly associated with the most repressive regimes. It sends a chilling message to all other foreign journalists that they too could be trapped for doing their jobs.”
Silence from Officials and Diplomatic Repercussions
Vietnamese authorities have not yet made any public comment on the case. Requests for clarification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and immigration police have so far gone unanswered.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it is “providing support to a British man in Vietnam” and is “in contact with the local authorities,” but declined to comment further due to privacy considerations.
The incident is likely to strain Vietnam’s diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom, a key partner, and could cast a shadow over its efforts to present itself as a stable and open destination for international business and tourism.
For now, Jonathan Head remains in Hanoi, unable to leave, as the BBC and international press freedom organizations appeal for his immediate release. The case has become a stark reminder of the risks faced by journalists reporting from countries where a free press is not tolerated.
Julia