(Strasbourg, 9 June 2016) The European Parliament (EP) adopted today an urgent resolution strongly condemning human rights violations in Vietnam, denouncing the escalation of repression and the violent suppression of demonstrations. The resolution cited extensive cases of abuse committed against political activists, journalists, bloggers, dissidents and human rights defenders and expressed particular concern on the situation of freedom of religion or belief.
FIDH and its member organisation, the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) briefed the Members of the European Parliament prior to the resolution, providing updated information. Taking up these concerns, the EP called for the revision or abrogation of all legislation restricting human rights, particularly provisions in the Criminal Code on “national security” or “abusing democratic freedoms” and recently-adopted legislation such as the amended Press Law and the Law on Access to Information which is incompatible with international human rights law.
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