U.S. Department of State: UPR 18th Session – Intervention for Vietnam

Geneva, Switzerland, Feb 5, 2014

AS DELIVERED by Peter Mulrean, Deputy Permanent Representative, U.S. Mission to the UN in Geneva.

The United States thanks the Vietnamese delegation for its presentation.

We welcome Vietnam’s signature of the Convention Against Torture, progress on protecting rights of LGBT persons, and increased church registrations.

However, Vietnam still harasses and detains those who exercise universal rights and freedoms, such as freedoms of expression and association. Vietnam also restricts religious freedom, and harassment of unregistered churches continues.

We are concerned with restrictions on the formation of independent trade unions, the use of child and forced labor, and the government’s use of compulsory labor.

We are also disappointed that Vietnam has prevented civil society from taking part in the broader UPR process.

We recommend Vietnam:

1. Revise vague national security laws that are used to suppress universal rights, and unconditionally release all political prisoners, such as Dr. Cu Huy Ha Vu, Le Quoc Quan, Dieu Cay and Tran Huynh Duy Thuc;
2. Protect internationally recognized workers’ rights and enforce laws prohibiting forced labor; and
3. Quickly ratify and implement the Convention Against Torture.

*Source: HumanRights.gov