HRC41: Oral Statement during Vietnam UPR Outcome

Agenda Item 6:Vietnam UPR Outcome

Organisation: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Speaker: Claire Denman

Thank you Mr President,

During the reporting period there have been numerous violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in Vietnam, which contravene both Vietnam’s domestic law and international human rights obligations.

The situation for religious communities varies widely between different groups and different regions of the country, with those in remote areas who are both ethnic and religious minorities at risk of the gravest violations.

Vietnam’s Law on Belief and Religion has been criticised by religious communities, lawyers and human rights defenders for interfering in the internal affairs of religious organisations. CSW welcomes recommendations made to Vietnam to revise this legislation to bring it in line with international standards, but we regret that many of these recommendations were not accepted.

We also note with concern that Vietnam did not accept a number of recommendations pertaining to the protection of human rights defenders. Those who defend the right to freedom of religion or belief and other universal human rights have been subject to harassment, assault, arrest, torture and imprisonment, and some have even died in police custody.

We call for the release of all those detained in connection with their religion or belief and those detained for courageously defending this right, including Protestant Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton and Hoa Hao Buddhist legal expert Nguyen Bac Truyen.

Finally, we are concerned by Vietnam’s unwillingness to accept UPR recommendations to ratify the optional protocol on the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Recommendation 38.6, which called for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the concluding observations of the Committee Against Torture, was only partially accepted. In the additional comments of the UPR addendum, Vietnam states that it will only accept the Committee’s recommendations where, and I quote, ‘it suits the country’s circumstances’.

CSW is troubled by what appears to be a selective approach to fundamental human rights. All forms of torture and ill-treatment must cease immediately and where necessary, legal provisions should be revised or revoked in order to comply with the Convention against Torture (CAT), to which Vietnam is party.

We urge Vietnam to take heed of the recommendations put forward by the Committee and by Member States during its UPR and ensure that cases of abuse of power by authorities are subject to thorough, impartial investigations.

Thank you.