It is necessary to supplement the mechanism to protect the personal information of complainants and denouncers.

Over the past time, the press has performed its political and social tasks very well, protecting the Party, the Fatherland, the legitimate rights and interests of the people, affirming that press activities have no other purpose than the interests of the nation and people.

There are mechanisms in place to protect complainants and whistleblowers.

The draft Law on the Press (amended), submitted to the National Assembly at its 10th session, contains many notable new points. Accordingly, regarding administrative procedures in the Law, it is expected that during the process of drafting Decrees and Circulars to provide detailed regulations, 20 administrative procedures will be reduced, leaving a total of only 48 procedures, compared to 68 procedures in the current Law. Simplification, reduction of conditions, processing time, and compliance costs for 20 administrative procedures will be implemented compared to the current regulations.

Representative Tran Thi Hoa Ry (from the Ca Mau National Assembly Delegation) delivered a speech.

Representative Tran Thi Hoa Ry (from the Ca Mau National Assembly delegation) stated that, after studying the draft Law on the Press, she suggested that the drafting agency consider the following issues further:

Regarding the position, function, and tasks of the press, although the draft Law clearly states that the press of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a revolutionary press closely linked to the national liberation struggle, the building and protection of the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland, and operates in a professional, humane, and modern manner, “I still hope that the Law will more clearly express the position and role of the press in national development as well as in implementing the policies and guidelines of the Party and the State. This content needs to be affirmed in the draft law,” emphasized Representative Tran Thi Hoa Ry.

Regarding Clause 3, Article 6 on the right to freedom of expression in the press for citizens concerning "Contributing opinions, criticisms, suggestions, reflections, complaints, and denunciations in the press against Party organizations, state agencies, political -social organizations, political-social-professional organizations, social organizations, social-professional organizations, and other organizations and individuals"; Representative Hoa Ry stated that she generally agrees strongly with the provision on complaints, but suggested reconsidering the provision on denunciations because in practice, denunciations can be true or false, especially during the period leading up to the Party Congress. While the content of the denunciation has not been verified, who will explain it when it is published in the press? If the denunciation is false, who will be held responsible, and how will the publishing media outlet be handled?

According to Representative Hoa Ry, such postings create and manipulate public opinion. If it is verified that the individual or organization did not violate any regulations, who will be held responsible for the posting? Representative Hoa Ry suggested that this needs clarification. “I propose that the drafting committee provide an explanation and further consider the provisions of Clause 3, Article 6, with utmost caution,” Representative Hoa Ry requested.

"I agree that while the press should publish information about alleged wrongdoings, it's more appropriate to thoroughly assess the issue after receiving a response from the relevant authorities. We should establish strict regulations to prevent indiscriminate publication of allegations," suggested Representative Hoa Ry.

Looking at it from a different perspective when commenting on Article 6 of the draft law, Representative Nguyen Thi Minh Trang (Vinh Long National Assembly Delegation) said: “Article 6 on the right to freedom of expression in the press for citizens, I find the regulations very specific and contain many clauses. However, based on the actual situation in the locality, I propose that the drafting agency should add a mechanism to protect the personal information of citizens when participating in giving opinions, criticisms, and suggestions.”

Representative Nguyen Thi Minh Trang (Vinh Long National Assembly Delegation) delivered a speech.

Representative Nguyen Thi Minh Trang argued that caution is needed to protect citizens and encourage them to boldly exercise freedom of speech, especially in the digital age, where citizens participating in discussions, particularly those related to criticism, denunciation, and combating corruption, are easily vulnerable to attacks, retaliation, and threats. “I believe the law needs specific regulations to ensure citizens trust that they are protected when speaking out and providing truthful information… This will help media outlets obtain accurate and multifaceted information to effectively monitor the situation,” Representative Nguyen Thi Minh Trang suggested.

Reduce unnecessary sub-licenses and certificates.

According to Representative Ta Thi Yen (Dien Bien National Assembly Delegation), Point C, Clause 2, Article 29 on the issuance, renewal, and revocation of journalist cards stipulates: "For the first-time issuance of a card, the applicant must have worked continuously at the requesting media agency for at least two years up to the time of consideration and have completed a training course on journalism and professional ethics organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Vietnam Journalists Association." Representative Yen argues that while this regulation aims to improve the quality of the journalistic workforce, it contradicts the government's general policy on administrative reform and the reduction of unnecessary permits and certificates.

Representative Ta Thi Yen (Dien Bien National Assembly Delegation).

In fact, the current system for granting journalist cards has quite strict criteria: Applicants must have a certain length of experience in journalism, be nominated by their employing media organization, possess appropriate professional qualifications, and have their qualifications confirmed by their managing agency. The entry requirements for journalists are also controlled through recruitment standards, academic qualifications, and specialized training.

Adding a mandatory requirement to complete professional training and ethical conduct courses before being considered for a journalist's card would inadvertently create another layer of administrative procedures, essentially a sub-license, increasing costs, time, and procedures for journalists. In particular, since 2021, the Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Interior to review and abolish a number of unnecessary certificates to reduce administrative burdens and save social resources.

In this context, adding a new type of "certificate"—even if it's called a training course—will likely not receive widespread acceptance in practice. Therefore, I propose reconsidering this regulation. Instead of requiring reporters and editors to "complete a training course on journalistic skills and professional ethics" before being issued a press card, the regulation should stipulate that journalists update their knowledge and professional ethics as needed through simpler methods such as seminars, talks, and thematic activities.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/can-bo-sung-co-che-bao-ve-thong-tin-ca-nhan-cua-nguoi-khieu-nai-to-cao-20251023171320473.htm