OF THE VIETNAMESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON  14 JANUARY 2005

AP: Please provide Vietnam’s reaction to Human Rights Watch’s 2005 World Report, which also reported on Vietnam human rights conditions and stated “human rights conditions in Vietnam, already dismal, worsened in 2004”.

Answer:

Assessments on Vietnam in the January 13  HRW’s annual report was built on distorted information that fails to reflect the situation in Vietnam. We therefore absolutely reject them.

In the past years, Vietnam has gained great achievements in improving all aspects of life and in safeguarding human rights by building a law-governed state and perfecting legal corridor and mechanisms for ensuring human rights in Vietnam, including rights to freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of beliefs and religion.

Freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of information in Vietnam are clearly reflected in the development of the Vietnamese media both in forms and content. Internet, the latest communication medium, is flourishing in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Government has worked out specific policies and regulations to encourage extensive application and use of Internet. However, like in other countries, dissemination of information which threatens national security and public order, inciting racial discrimination and terrorism and going against national morality, customs and traditions and laws is not allowed in Vietnam.

The State of Vietnam respects and protects freedom of belief or religion and freedom of non-belief or religion of its citizens. All religions which have religious goals and principles, purposes, guidelines and organization in line with Vietnamese laws, are permitted to be practiced. 

While enjoying those rights citizens are supposed to fulfill their obligations. Violations of law are dealt with by regulations of the laws. In Vietnam, nobody is arrested for expression of their views or on religious ground, only those who break the laws will be dealt with by Vietnamese laws.