The truth cannot be distorted.

Taking advantage of the information that Vietnam is running for re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026-2028 term, ill-intentioned organizations and individuals are actively spreading propaganda to undermine Vietnam's reputation.

Minister Bui Thanh Son speaks at the High-Level Session of the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, February 26 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo: Nhat Phong)

Reaffirming Vietnam's priorities when participating in the UN Human Rights Council, including protecting vulnerable groups, gender equality, digital transformation, and human rights, at the 55th High-Level Session of the UN Human Rights Council on February 26, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son shared that Vietnam had submitted its national report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, cycle IV, and had fully implemented nearly 90% of the recommendations received in 2019.

To continue Vietnam's positive contributions, strong commitment, and willingness to contribute, Minister Bui Thanh Son announced Vietnam's re-election bid for membership in the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. Taking advantage of this, ill-intentioned organizations and individuals are actively spreading propaganda to undermine Vietnam's reputation.

Still the same old tired arguments.

Immediately following the statement by the Vietnamese representative, media outlets, social networks like RFA, and the global civil society organization (CIVICUS) launched articles attacking the human rights situation in Vietnam. RFA loudly proclaimed, "Vietnam needs to release prisoners of conscience if it wants to be re-elected to the Human Rights Council!"; exploiting the statement of Josef Benedict, a civil rights advocacy expert for the Asia- Pacific region at CIVICUS: "This country's human rights record is appalling, and the state of civil space in this country is assessed by CIVICUS Monitor as 'closed'."

Taking advantage of this situation, RFA put forward the baseless claim: "More than 20 people have been sentenced to many years in prison, mostly for the crimes of 'propaganda against the state' or 'abusing democratic freedoms' simply for exercising basic human rights such as the right to expression and sharing information... The social media page of the terrorist organization 'Viet Tan' distorted the truth, stating: 'According to the 2024 annual Global Freedom Index report by Freedom House, Vietnam is ranked among the 'Unfree' countries with only 19/100 points...'"

Taking advantage of information about Vietnam's re-election bid for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term, the "News BBC Vietnamese" fanpage posted a distorted article claiming "a new wave of repression as Vietnam still wants a seat on the UN Human Rights Council... According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) on March 5th, there has been an increase in repression of critics of the Vietnamese Communist Party as the government campaigns to secure a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the next term." The "Viet Tan" fanpage attacked, "Just days after Vietnam announced its bid for another term on the Human Rights Council, the Ministry of Public Security arrested three more dissidents."

This is not the first time Vietnam has faced opposition when running for a seat on the Human Rights Council. When Vietnam announced its candidacy for the 2023-2025 term, elements hostile to Vietnam immediately devised schemes to obstruct Vietnam.

Under the guise of protecting "democracy" and "human rights," these organizations are actively campaigning to create a "Global Movement in Response to the Magnitsky Act" targeting Vietnam, attracting and inciting the masses to demand freedom, democracy, and human rights according to Western standards.

Based on misinformation about religious freedom and human rights disseminated by some reactionary elements within the country, some non-governmental organizations hostile to Vietnam, and some exiled reactionary organizations opposing Vietnam, such as the Boat People SOS Committee; the "Protestant Church of the Central Highlands Ethnic Minorities"; and the US State Department's periodically published Human Rights Reports and International Religious Freedom Reports, which contain much biased and distorted information about the human rights situation in Vietnam, in order to attack Vietnam.

Based on this, hostile forces are calling on social media to return Vietnam to the list of "countries of particular concern regarding religious freedom," demanding that the Vietnamese government release all those who have violated the law, whom they call "prisoners of conscience"...

Facts have proven that misinformation and fabrications do not diminish Vietnam's reputation. At the vote on October 11, 2022, at UN headquarters, amidst fierce competition among candidates, the international community once again placed its trust in and chose Vietnam, along with 13 other countries, as new members for the 2023-2025 term.

With 145 out of 189 votes, or nearly 80% of the total, Vietnam ranked among the countries with the highest number of votes. This result is a testament to the international community's recognition of Vietnam's efforts in ensuring and promoting human rights at both national and international levels.

After a year of fulfilling its role as a responsible member, Vietnam's prestige has been increasingly affirmed, as assessed by former President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association, Gérard Daviot: "Vietnam's election as a member of the Human Rights Council is very justified, because Vietnam has outlined goals for the entire journey and successfully realized them; it must be recognized as a recognition from the whole world."

High-level meeting of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland (Source: Getty Images)

The truth cannot be distorted.

Vietnam was one of the first countries to sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and became a founding member of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006.

In the election for UN Human Rights Council membership for the 2023-2025 term, Vietnam was unanimously supported by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the sole ASEAN candidate; and also the only Asian candidate from the Francophone Community, demonstrating the trust and expectations of the international community regarding Vietnam's role and contributions in the field of human rights.

During its first year as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Vietnam left many positive marks that were recognized and highly appreciated by the international community. Vietnam actively participated in the activities of the UN Human Rights Council, reflecting its views and sharing its experiences on important human rights issues, such as protecting the rights of women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and migrants; promoting the right to development, the right to participation, the right to social security, and the right to the environment; responding to non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, epidemics, and digital transformation; and engaging in dialogue and cooperation with UN human rights agencies, international organizations, and other countries.

Vietnam has played a leading role in initiating and promoting important initiatives and resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council, such as the Resolution on Human Rights in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Resolution on Human Rights and the Environment, the Resolution on Human Rights and Digital Transformation, and the Resolution on Human Rights and Opioid Policy.

Vietnam co-hosted side events on topics such as protecting human rights in the digital age, ensuring human rights in business operations, and protecting human rights in humanitarian emergencies…

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet chaired and delivered the opening remarks at the International Workshop to consult on the draft National Report under the UPR mechanism, cycle IV, of the United Nations Human Rights Council, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on November 24, 2023, in Hanoi. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Vietnam participates in and implements international human rights conventions that it has signed or acceded to. Furthermore, Vietnam seriously fulfills its international commitments and obligations regarding human rights, particularly its participation in the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2024.

Vietnam presented its national report on the human rights situation in the country, receiving much praise and suggestions from other countries; accepting 241 out of 291 recommendations of the UPR, demonstrating openness, cooperation, and commitment to improving human rights in the country.

Fulfilling international commitments and obligations on human rights has contributed to enhancing Vietnam's prestige and image in the international arena, as well as creating conditions for Vietnam's deep integration and sustainable development. Implementing these commitments and obligations is also one of the ways Vietnam demonstrates respect for and guarantees the human rights of its people, especially vulnerable groups. Furthermore, fulfilling these commitments and obligations serves as a driving force for Vietnam to continue reforming, innovating, and improving its laws, policies, and practices to better ensure the rights of its people.

The continuous improvement of laws and the development of policies that place people at the center of development have contributed to raising the living standards and quality of life of the people, thereby affirming Vietnam's position and prestige on the international stage. In recent years, maintaining a high economic growth rate, achieving significant progress in industrialization, modernization, international integration, and implementing sustainable development goals, improving the quality of education, healthcare, culture, information and communication, and creating conditions for people to access public services and development opportunities, have helped Vietnam improve its ranking in many development indicators.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Vietnam is considered one of the fastest-growing countries in the world in terms of its Human Development Index (HDI). In just a decade, Vietnam's HDI increased by 46%, placing it among the countries with the highest growth rates globally. According to international organizations and experts, this demonstrates that Vietnam consistently prioritizes people as the goal and driving force of its development.

“Despite global obstacles, in 2023, Vietnam’s economic growth still exceeded 5%. The poverty rate continued to decrease to 3%. Social welfare spending continued to be a high priority and remained at nearly 3% of GDP for many years. In 2023, Vietnam continued to export over 8 million tons of rice, contributing to ensuring food security and access to food for millions of people in regions around the world,” affirmed Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son at the High-Level Session of the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

In 2023, Vietnam continued to export over 8 million tons of rice, contributing to ensuring food security and access to food for millions of people in regions around the world. (Source: VNA)

In the context of a peaceful environment for development, where citizens and businesses are protected by law and can contribute to society, the aforementioned distorted information is merely misguided rhetoric that is not heeded by the international community. Actions of interference, imposition, one-sided judgments, prejudice, lack of objectivity, and disrespect for the sovereignty and self-determination of other nations, especially developing countries, in the field of human rights are never welcomed or encouraged.

The re-election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term presents a great opportunity for Vietnam to continue making positive contributions to the common efforts of the UN and the international community in protecting and promoting universal human rights values, and striving for peace, national independence, democracy, cooperation, development, and social progress. The people have every right to be proud and have well-founded confidence that Vietnam will fulfill its obligations and commitments within the UN Human Rights Council.

During its first year as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Vietnam left many positive marks that were recognized and highly appreciated by the international community. Vietnam actively participated in the activities of the UN Human Rights Council, reflecting its views and sharing its experiences on important human rights issues, such as protecting the rights of women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and migrants; promoting the right to development, the right to participation, the right to social security, and the right to the environment; responding to non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, epidemics, and digital transformation; and engaging in dialogue and cooperation with UN human rights agencies, international organizations, and other countries.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/khong-the-xuyen-tac-su-that-267890.html