Journalist investigating extortion at market receives death threats against his entire family.
According to Lien Lien, a female reporter from VTV1 (Vietnam Television), last night (December 2nd) she unexpectedly received a text message from an unknown number saying, "Stop it, don't try to film us anymore, you can't do anything about it... if you don't listen, your whole family will die because of you."
On the afternoon of December 3rd, female reporter Lien Lien stated that at approximately 10:13 PM on December 2nd, she unexpectedly received two messages from the same unknown phone number with the following content: "Stop it, don't try to film us anymore, you won't be able to do anything. I'm saying this only once, and if you don't listen, your whole family will die because of you"; "Remember, your whole family will die if you deliberately provoke us."
The threatening messages sent to female reporter Lien Lien.
Although the message didn't specifically mention any particular incident, according to reporter Lien Lien, it referred to the "protection money" collection at Long Bien Market (Hanoi) that she reported on and which was broadcast repeatedly on Vietnam Television.
Reporter Lien Lien added that she had reported the incident to the leadership of Vietnam Television. On December 3rd, Vietnam Television sent a letter to the Hanoi City Police and the Ministry of Public Security requesting an investigation into the death threats made by the sender and a plan to ensure the safety of the reporter.
Regarding the above incident, the reporter contacted the leaders of the Hanoi City Police, however, this leader only responded briefly, "We have contacted reporter Lien Lien to see if she has submitted a complaint yet, let's just keep that in mind for now."
