{"id":55053,"date":"2025-07-22T12:16:24","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T12:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queme.org\/?p=55053"},"modified":"2025-07-22T12:18:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T12:18:29","slug":"ccpr-highlights-gross-violations-of-civil-and-political-rights-in-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/ccpr-highlights-gross-violations-of-civil-and-political-rights-in-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam: United Nations body highlights gross violations of civil and political rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Vietnam\nCommittee on Human Rights (VCHR) welcome the recommendations issued by the\nUnited Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee to improve the respect of civil and\npolitical rights in Vietnam. The organizations urge the Vietnamese authorities\nto fully implement the committee\u2019s recommendations without delay, particularly\nthose regarding: the death penalty; transnational repression; torture;\ndetention conditions; the right to liberty; the right to a fair trial; freedom\nof religion and belief; freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and\nassociation; and participation in public affairs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PARIS, 22 July 2025 (VCHR & FIDH) –<\/strong> On 18 July 2025, the UN Human Rights Committee (CCPR) released its findings<\/a> (known as \u201cConcluding Observations\u201d) on Vietnam following the review of the country\u2019s fourth periodic report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which took place on 7 and 8 July 2025 in Geneva. The CCPR monitors the implementation of the ICCPR\u2019s provisions by state parties, including Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR\u2019s findings reflected many of the issues raised by FIDH and VCHR in their joint shadow report<\/a> and in their oral presentations<\/a> to the CCPR during the review. Below are some of the CCPR\u2019s key concerns and recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death penalty<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR expressed concern that capital punishment remained prescribed for\n10 crimes, including non-violent offenses, which do not meet the ICCPR\u2019s threshold\nof the \u201cmost serious crimes.\u201d It also regretted the lack of statistical information\non death sentences, executions, and the number of prisoners on death row. The\nCCPR called on the government to adopt a moratorium on executions, consider\nabolishing the death penalty, and acceding to the Second Optional Protocol to the\nICCPR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational repression<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR noted numerous cases of extraterritorial enforced\ndisappearances and other forms of transnational repression by Vietnamese officials,\nand the use of politically motivated extradition processes. The UN experts regretted\nthat the government did not provide information on specific cases raised during\nthe review and called on the authorities to investigate all cases of\ntransnational repression and hold those responsible accountable. The CCPR\nrecommended the government also consider acceding to the International\nConvention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance\n(ICPPED).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Torture and Ill-treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR expressed concern on the use of torture and ill\u2011treatment against human rights defenders, journalists, dissidents, and\nethnic and religious minorities, including solitary confinement, leg shackling\nand denial of medical treatment, and by reports of torture used to extract\nconfessions which were used as evidence in court proceedings, including in\ncases involving the death penalty. They called on Vietnam to prevent and\neradicate torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, ensure that\nall persons deprived of their liberty have access to medical treatment and to\nan effective complaint mechanism to report incidents of torture and\nill-treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detention conditions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UN expertsobserved a deterioration of prison conditions\nincluding overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, poor quality food and water,\ndenial of medical care, and exposure to torture and ill-treatment, including\nprolonged solitary confinement. The CCPR was also concerned by the\ndiscriminatory treatment between \u201cregular prisoners\u201d and prisoners of\nconscience. The CCPR called on the government to ensure that detention conditions\ncomply with relevant international human rights standards and that prisoners of\nconscience are not subjected to discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prolonged pre-trial detention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR denounced the use of prolonged pre-trial detention, particularly\nfor political dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, and ethnic and religious\nminorities. It called for the amendment or repeal of Article 173(5) and Article\n74 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), which provide for indefinite detention\nwithout trial and deny access to defense counsel for suspects accused of \u201cnational\nsecurity\u201d crimes. The CCPR recommended a significant reduction of the use of\npre-trial detention and that all detainees be afforded all legal and procedural\nsafeguards from the outset of their detention, including periodic judicial review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR remained concerned about the Communist Party of Vietnam\u2019s\n(CPV\u2019s) influence on the judiciary, the lack of judicial accountability and\noversight, lack of due process in cases involving human rights defenders,\njournalists, and ethnic and religious minorities, and the harassment of lawyers\ndefending them. It called on the government to ensure the full independence and\nimpartiality of the judiciary and ensure that all judicial proceedings are\nconducted in accordance with the fair trial guarantees enshrined in Article 14\nof the ICCPR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freedom of religion or belief<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d by the increase in discrimination, harassment\nand intimidation against religious minorities, the undue restrictions on\nfreedom of religion and belief under the Law on Religion and Belief of 2016 and\nDecree 95\/2023, and the use of national security and counter-terrorism laws to\ntarget religious minorities. The CCPR called on the government to guarantee the\neffective exercise of freedom of religion and belief and ensure that domestic legislation\nand practices fully comply with Article 18 of the ICCPR. It also recommended that\nnational security and counter-terrorism legislation be not arbitrarily applied\nto arrest, detain, or target religious minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freedom of expression<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Committee observed \u201ca further decline in freedom of expression\u201d in Vietnam,\nnotably regarding human rights defenders, journalists, political dissidents,\nand ethnic and religious minorities. It expressed  concern about overly broad legal provisions,\nin particular Articles 109, 116, 117, and 331 of the Criminal Code, which had\nbeen used to prosecute human rights defenders, journalists, political dissidents,\nand ethnic and religious minorities, The CCPR was also concerned by heavy\nrestrictions on media, especially through legislation such as the Press Law, the\nAccess to Information Law, the Cybersecurity Law, and Decrees 147\/2024,\n53\/2022, 15\/2020, and 119\/2020, and by the removal of all content perceived to\nbe critical of the government from social media platforms. The CCPR called on the\nauthorities to take all the necessary steps to end violations of the right to\nfreedom of expression offline and online, amend or repeal restrictive\nlegislation and enable human rights defenders, journalists, and other civil society\nactors to carry out their work safely, freely, and independently, without fear\nof them and their family members\u2019 being subjected to persecution, intimidation,\nharassment, violence or reprisals. It also called for the release of media\nworkers and human rights defenders detained contrary to the provisions of the\nICCPR, and for the adoption of all necessary measures to support a genuinely\npluralistic media landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freedom of peaceful assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExcessive restrictions\u201d on freedom of peaceful assembly and the\ndisproportionate use of force and arbitrary arrests to disperse peaceful\nassemblies were a serious concern. The CCPR called on the authorities to guarantee\nand protect the right of peaceful assembly, to investigate all allegations of\nthe excessive use of force or arbitrary arrest in the context of peaceful\nassemblies, and to release all those arbitrarily detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freedom of association<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently-adopted legislation, such as Decrees 126\/2024 and 114\/2021,\nimposed undue restrictions on the establishment, management, and operation of\npublic associations. The CCPR also noted with concern the \u201cabuse of overbroad\ntax laws\u201d to penalize human rights defenders and ethnic and religious\nminorities associations. The CCPR recommended the government take all necessary\nsteps to guarantee the effective exercise of the right to freedom of\nassociation, particularly by: amending legislation and practice governing the\nestablishment, management, and operation of associations; remove all undue\nrestrictions and oversight on the ability of civil society organizations to\nreceive international and domestic funding; and refrain from using overbroad\ntax laws to penalize human rights defenders and ethnic and religious minorities\u2019\nassociations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation in public affairs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CCPR remained concerned by the prohibition of political parties\nother than the CPV, and that independent candidates were required to go through\nmultiple rounds of negotiations with the CPV-led Vietnam Fatherland Front to be\nlisted as candidates. The CCPR recommended the authorities bring electoral\nregulations and practices into compliance with Article 25 of the ICCPR and ensure\ntransparent, free, and fair elections, promote genuine political pluralism and\ndebate, and ensure the freedom to engage in political activity individually or\nthrough political parties and other organizations, including those representing\nviews critical of the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its Concluding Observations, the CCPR requested the Vietnamese\ngovernment provide, by 18 July 2028, information on the implementation of\nrecommendations concerning: 1) the establishment of an independent national\nhuman rights institution; 2) the use of the death penalty; and 3) the right to\nliberty and security of persons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) welcome the recommendations issued by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee to improve the respect of civil and political rights in Vietnam. The organizations urge the Vietnamese authorities to fully implement the committee\u2019s recommendations without delay, particularly those regarding: …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":434,"featured_media":55054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,113,98,64],"tags":[524,1562,1792,312,821,1644,1793,789,792,754,815],"class_list":["post-55053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-latest-posts","category-news","category-press-release","category-vchr","tag-abitrary-detention","tag-ccpr","tag-ccpr144","tag-death-penalty","tag-fidh-3","tag-freedom-of-assembly","tag-freedom-of-association","tag-human-rights-2","tag-human-rights-committee","tag-torture","tag-vchr-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/434"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}