On the occasion of the 12th EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, held on 4 July 2024 in Brussels, ARTICLE 19 and the undersigned organisations and individuals call on the European Union (EU) to urge the Vietnam government to repeal repressive laws and regulations and drop the prosecution and harassment of journalists and activists and others who exercise their freedom of expression. As a staunch advocate for human rights, the EU has a critical role in protecting the rights of freedom of expression and association globally. We call on the EU to urge the Vietnam government to respect its obligations under international human rights standards. We also hope that the EU will continue to support civil society in Vietnam and undertake further engagement with the tech sector to improve its adherence to human rights standards in the country.
The annual EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue is an important forum for the EU and Vietnam to outline their commitments to human rights, exchange views on challenges and measures for improvement, and stress the importance of cooperation with UN Human Rights mechanisms.
ARTICLE 19 and the undersigned human rights and civil society organisations are concerned that Vietnam continues to severely restrict human rights, in particular the rights to freedom of expression and association, in violation of its obligations under international human rights law. According to ARTICLE 19’s Global Expression Report 2024, which highlights a significant decline in freedom of expression globally, Vietnam is classified as “in crisis” due to severe restrictions on freedom of expression.