In spite of significant economic reform and a willingness to embrace social change, the party remains intolerant of criticism. Since his re-election in 2016, leader Nguyen Phu Trong has escalated efforts to suppress dissidents and activists. According to a spokesperson from Amnesty, at least 16 individuals have been arrested, detained, or convicted this year for posting anti-government content on Facebook. Additionally, 12 political prisoners are currently incarcerated on similar charges. One such example is Pham Van Diep, a 54-year-old activist from Thanh Hoa, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for disseminating information that was deemed to be defamatory towards the Communist Party and Vietnamese government. The Vietnam News Agency reported that Diep was found guilty of spreading fake and unfounded news about government policies, leading to confusion among social media users and residents regarding the party and government. The articles were posted online between April 2014 and June 2019, and he was sentenced to 21 months in prison in Laos in 2016 for sharing anti-Vietnamese materials, it was reported. Diep is the third individual to be imprisoned this month, following a music instructor who was sentenced to 11 years on Nov. 15 for similar anti-state posts on Facebook, and a 38-year-old man who was imprisoned for streaming 33 live video sessions. The broadcasts were intended to "encourage people to join protests during national holidays," according to a court statement. In late November, a 54-year-old architect was sentenced to one year in prison for similar allegations of posting anti-government content on Facebook. Facebook, widely used in Vietnam, is not only a major platform for e-commerce but also for expressing political dissent. It was reported in May that there had been a significant increase in the amount of content restricted in Vietnam compared to the previous year. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Hanoi to stop cracking down on an independent publisher and criticized the restrictions on freedom of expression that could lead to arrest and imprisonment for those who speak out. The groups stated that this crackdown has only increased the fear felt by the people in Vietnam.