Special Focus
  • Human Rights in Vietnam

    Vietnam’s human rights record remains weak in many areas. The government suppresses virtually all forms of political dissent, using a broad array of repressive measures. Freedom of expression, association, and public assembly are tightly controlled. Religious activists are harassed, intimidated, and imprisoned. State-run drug rehabilitation centers exploit detainees as forced laborers making goods for local markets and export. The criminal justice system lacks independence and operates under the direction of the government and party. 

  • From left to right: Nguyen Huu Vinh, Vu Quoc Tu, Pham Minh Hoang
    From left to right: © Nguyen Huu Vinh, © Vu Quoc Tu, © Pham Minh Hoang
    Vietnamese Bloggers Recognized for Commitment to Rights
    Five Vietnamese bloggers are among an extraordinary group of 41 people from 19 countries who have received the prestigious Hellman/Hammett award recognizing writers who demonstrate courage and conviction in the face of political persecution.
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  • Vietnamese Bloggers Recognized for Commitment to Rights
    Dec 20, 2012
    Five Vietnamese bloggers are among an extraordinary group of 41 people from 19 countries who have received the prestigious Hellman/Hammett award recognizing writers who demonstrate courage and conviction in the face of political persecution.
  • Civil Society Denounces Adoption of Flawed ASEAN Human Rights Declaration
    Nov 19, 2012
    Disregarding the deep concerns expressed by senior United Nations officials, human rights experts and hundreds of civil society and grassroots organisations at the national, regional and international levels, ASEAN leaders nonetheless adopted yesterday an “ASEAN Human Rights Declaration” that undermines, rather than affirms, international human rights law and standards.
  • Race to the bottom: Burma and Vietnam head in opposite directions on human rights
    Nov 7, 2012
  • Vietnam: Make Rights a Priority on EU Visit
    Oct 29, 2012
    European Union President Herman Van Rompuy should publicly press Vietnam to release all political prisoners and detainees, respect freedom of religion, and abolish forced labor in drug detention centers during his visit from October 31 to November 2, 2012.
  • Vietnam: Drop Charges Against and Release Bloggers
    Sep 20, 2012

    Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against three prominent bloggers and immediately release them

  • Joint Letter Requesting the Immediate Release of 17 Vietnamese Social Activists and Bloggers
    Aug 27, 2012

    As you receive this letter, seventeen Vietnamese social activists, including bloggers and citizen journalists have been in jail for up to a year. Most have not even been brought to trial. These seventeen individuals have been arbitrarily detained because of their work as citizen journalists, environmental advocates, anti-corruption crusaders and human rights defenders.

  • Drug Detention Centers Offer Torture, Not Treatment
    Jul 23, 2012

    Hundreds of thousands of people identified as drug users in China and across Southeast Asia are held without due process in centers where they may be subjected to torture, and physical and sexual violence in the name of “treatment.” International donors and United Nations agencies have supported and funded drug detention centers that systematically deny people rights to effective HIV and drug dependency treatment, and have ignored forced labor and abuse.

  • VIetnam: Letter to Member states of ECOSOC in support of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation
    Jul 18, 2012

     

    We, the undersigned group of civil society organizations from around the world, are writing to express our strong support for the special consultative status with the United Nations granted to the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) and its right to exercise freedom of expression of its nonviolent view regarding the situation in Vietnam. We urge you, as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), to vote against the draft resolution to revoke KKF’s special consultative status at the July 23 meeting of ECOSOC, and to supportthe ability of civil society organizations to freely participate in the work of the United Nations.   

  • Vietnam: Clinton Should Spotlight Internet Freedom
    Jul 9, 2012

    United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should publicly press Vietnam to respect freedom of expression and Internet freedom, and release prominent Internet bloggers when she visits Hanoi on July 10, 2012. 

  • Vietnam: US embassy comments on internet decree
    Jul 9, 2012
    US embassy comments on internet decree.
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