News

European Parliament strongly condemns abuses of freedom of expression, assembly and religion in Vietnam

STRASBURG, 9 June 2016 (VCHR) – At its plenary session in Strasburg today, the 751-member European Parliament adopted an Urgent Resolution strongly condemning human rights violations in Vietnam, and the escalation of repression following the Communist Party’s XII Congress in January which brought a hard-line leadership to power in the …

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In Vesak Message, UBCV leader Thich Quang Do calls on Buddhists to be catalysts for democratic change in Vietnam

  PARIS, 6th June 2016 – (IBIB). The Most Venerable Thich Quang Do, Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) has issued his annual Message on the occasion of the Vesak (Birth of Buddha). In his Message, sent from the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon where he …

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Prominent US Congress members urge President Obama to press for release of Buddhist dissident Thích Quảng Độ during Vietnam visit

  PARIS, 20 May 2016 (VCHR) – Eight prominent members of the US Congress have written a letter to US President Barack Obama calling on him to press for the release of Buddhist dissident Thích Quảng Độ in his upcoming visit to Vietnam. President Obama is scheduled to arrive in …

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Police prevent UBCV Deputy Thích Thanh Quang and Youth leader Lê Công Cầu from meeting Australian diplomats in Saigon

PARIS, 13 May 2016 (VCHR) – The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) strongly protests the unlawful activities of Police in Hue and Danang who prevented the Deputy leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) Thích Thanh Quang and UBCV Youth leader Lê Công Cầu from travelling to …

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UBCV Patriarch Thích Quảng Độ calls on President Obama to speak out for human rights during visit to Vietnam

PARIS, 9 May 2016 (VCHR) – From the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), the Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam Thích Quảng Độ has sent a letter to US President Barack Obama urging him to press Vietnam’s leaders on human rights when he …

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U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom places Vietnam on blacklist for violations of freedom of religion or belief

  PARIS, 2 May 2016 (VCHR) – For the sixteenth consecutive year, since 2001, Vietnam is on a blacklist of countries singled out by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations” of freedom of religion or belief. USCIRF recommends that Vietnam be designated …

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WorldWatch Monitor : Vietnam’s Religion Law ‘created to repress, control’ – Vietnam’s relationship with West gives hope for religious freedom

  Vietnam’s Religion Law ‘created to repress, control’ Published: April 28, 2016 by Vishal Arora – Last year, Reg Reimer, a professor at the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, gave a thorough overview of the proposed law, saying “it is almost inevitable the new law will disappoint proponent of universal human …

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World Watch Monitor: Vietnam’s new Religion Law aims to repress, control

      See: World Watch Monitor (04/27/2016): Vietnam’s relationship with EU and US, and its impact on religious freedom (interview of Võ Trần Nhật) World Watch Monitor (04/28/2016): Vietnam’s Religion Law ‘created to repress, control’ – Vietnam’s relationship with West gives hope for religious freedom

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EUobserver : EU sacrifices human rights for Vietnam free trade

BRUSSELS, 27 April 2016 – For almost six months, the family and friends of imprisoned Vietnamese lawyer and activist Nguyen Van Dai have been waiting to hear what will happen to him. Dai was arrested on 16 December 2015, hours before a planned meeting with EU officials in Hanoi. Since …

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