Vietnam punishes editors over fish sauce arsenic story
6 Dec 2016 at 01:18
WRITER: AFP

HANOI - Vietnam on Monday punished two editors of a major newspaper which had earlier been fined for publishing what authorities said were false reports on toxic fish sauce.

Deputy chief editor of Thanh Nien newspaper Dang Ngoc Hoa, and senior executive Vo Van Khoi had their press cards revoked, Vietnam's information and communication ministry said.

Communist Vietnam heavily restricts the media, which is all state-owned, meaning authorities rarely have to sanction an industry already under its thumb.

No reason was given for the order. But it comes after Thanh Nien was fined for reporting on a food scare that received widespread coverage mid-October.

A total of 50 news organisations were fined in November for running reports about high arsenic levels found in fish sauce, causing widespread panic.