Religion and human rights in Vietnam – The undeniable truth, distortion

(LĐ online) - It must be affirmed that respecting and ensuring citizens' freedom of belief and religion has been a consistent and continuous policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam in recent times. Regarding human rights, international friends always appreciate the great efforts and achievements that Vietnam has made in protecting and promoting human rights.

ANTI-RELEGACY ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVE, PREJUDICED, AND INACCURATE JUDGMENTS ABOUT THE REAL SITUATION OF RELIGION IN VIETNAM

Recently, the organization "Board for the Rescue of Boat People" (BPSOS) has regularly conducted activities to collect information related to the field of beliefs and religions in Vietnam; organized seminars and discussion forums on social networks with the topic of "religious freedom in Vietnam". Participants are individuals who have committed crimes, violated the law and have been prosecuted, and individual representatives in religious organizations that are not recognized by law, and are even being removed by the government due to being related to superstitious and profiteering factors that have a negative impact on social life. At the end of 2023, the organization BPSOS established the so-called "Vietnam Civil Rights Project", launched the "Vietnam Religious Survey Project", posted on Facebook "Vietnam Religious Roundtable" to serve the purpose of opposing the Vietnamese government in cyberspace.

In its 2024 report on religious freedom in Vietnam, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) made inaccurate and unbiased assessments and comments on the religious situation in Vietnam, saying that Vietnam "represses religion domestically"; criticizing the Vietnamese government and police; USCIRF used information in this report mainly from unverified sources, collected from organizations and individuals of Vietnamese people abroad with extremist ideology, connected with domestic opposition elements, so it is always unobjective, even distorting religious freedom in our country. Based on this report, the US Government continues to put Vietnam on the list of countries that need special monitoring for religious freedom.

In the face of the above-mentioned sabotage and subjective comments, it is necessary to affirm that respecting and ensuring citizens' freedom of belief and religion is a consistent and continuous policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam in recent times. The Resolution of the 13th Party Congress affirmed: "Focus on perfecting and implementing well ethnic and religious policies. Strictly punish all plots and actions to divide and sabotage the great national unity bloc, hindering the development of the country". Article 24 of the 2013 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam emphasizes: "Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion. Religions are equal before the law. The State respects and protects the right to freedom of belief and religion". The National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam also promulgated the Law on Belief and Religion in 2016; The Government issued Decree No. 162/2017/ND-CP detailing the implementation of the Law on Belief and Religion... With correct policies and laws on belief and religion, over the past years, Vietnam has made great strides in ensuring citizens' freedom of belief and religion. To date, Vietnam has over 26.5 million religious followers, more than 54,000 dignitaries and officials, nearly 30,000 places of worship, and thousands of religious groups of foreigners legally residing in Vietnam. Every year, in Vietnam, there are about 8,500 solemn religious festivals, including major international religious festivals such as: United Nations Day of Vesak; Youth Congress at the Hung Kings Temple Historical Site in 2022 with the participation of Archbishop Marak Zelewki, Non-Resident Special Envoy of the Vatican to Vietnam; many international conferences on religion were held in Vietnam. The State also created conditions for many international religious delegations to visit and work in Vietnam such as: the US Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), the German WAZ Media Group, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Reality shows that in Vietnam, religions live together in harmony, solidarity, attachment, and accompany the nation, without ethnic or religious conflicts; compatriots of all ethnic groups and religions have truly become an important force responding to patriotic emulation movements; actively contributing to the cause of national construction and development.

On May 9, 2024, at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to a reporter's question asking for Vietnam's comments on the 2024 religious freedom report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Ms. Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized: Vietnam has always consistently implemented a policy of respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion, and the right to follow or not to follow a religion of the people. In Vietnam, no one is discriminated against on the basis of religion or belief, and the activities of religious organizations are guaranteed in accordance with the provisions of law. Vietnam's policies, efforts and achievements in ensuring human rights, including freedom of religion and belief, have been recognized and highly appreciated by many countries. These are also the assessments and comments of countries at the Dialogue Session on Vietnam's National Report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle IV of the United Nations Human Rights Council recently held in Geneva, Switzerland. Vietnam rejects the biased, biased and inaccurate comments on the actual situation in Vietnam stated in the 2024 International Religious Freedom Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF VIETNAM'S CONTINUED CANDIDATE FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL FOR THE 2026-2028 TERM TO DISTORT, SLANDER, AND SUPPRESS VIETNAM

At the recent 55th High-Level Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son announced that Vietnam would run for re-election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. Taking advantage of this, hostile forces, organizations, and individuals with ill will have distorted and spread propaganda against Vietnam. Media outlets, social networks RFA, and the Global Civil Society Coalition (CIVICUS) have published articles attacking the human rights situation in Vietnam. RFA has called out, "Vietnam needs to release prisoners of conscience if it wants to be re-elected to the Human Rights Council!" The social networking site of the terrorist organization Viet Tan wrote, "According to the 2024 annual Global Freedom Index Report of Freedom House, Vietnam is ranked in the group of "Not Free" countries with only 19/100 points." BBC Vietnamese News Fanpage posted a distorted article about “a new wave of repression when Vietnam still wants a seat on the UN Human Rights Council”…

The truth is, international friends always appreciate the great efforts and achievements that Vietnam has made in protecting and promoting human rights, demonstrating the international community's trust in Vietnam's policies and capacity in promoting and ensuring human rights in the world, one of the three main pillars of the United Nations. Over the past many years, Vietnam's development guidelines and orientations have been extremely correct, reflected in the Party and State's policy in formulating development policies on human rights, taking people as the center. The Vietnamese Government's management is also very resolute and highly effective. Based on the efforts and awareness of the people in implementing and following the viewpoints, guidelines and policies of the Party and State, Vietnam has called on and mobilized people to support and comply with policies, while bringing benefits to the people and ensuring the legitimate rights of the community.

Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) increased by 45.8% between 1990 and 2020, placing Vietnam among the countries with the highest HDI growth rate in the world. According to the 2023 World Happiness Report, Vietnam ranked 65th out of 156 countries and territories, up 12 places compared to 2022. International experts commented that Vietnam's index has increased significantly, stemming from the priorities and efforts of the Vietnamese Government in building and developing human rights and promoting social equality. And one thing that cannot be ignored is that Vietnam's experiences and efforts as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 and 2023-2025 terms, and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (2020-2021) have created the premise and basis to strengthen the trust of international friends in supporting Vietnam's candidacy for membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term.

If elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the next three-year term, Vietnam will directly contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide, one of the three pillars of the UN. Vietnam will promote the priorities identified when participating in the Human Rights Council through dialogue and cooperation, especially in protecting vulnerable groups and ensuring human rights in response to global issues. This will not only contribute to addressing common and urgent concerns of humanity but also help open up opportunities to share and learn good experiences, gain support from the international community, and help the Vietnamese people enjoy human rights and civil rights better and better. Therefore, Vietnam's continued candidacy for membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term is completely worthy, there is nothing to argue about.

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