The Socialist Republic of Vietnam remains under the close control of the Communist Party twenty-seven years after its reunification, and though the human rights situation has improved in recent years, significant problems remain. This is particularly the case for those whom the government considers to be a political threat. When Nong Duc Manh succeeded the more conservative Le Kha Phieu as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in April 2001, the shift raised expectations that the pace of democratic reform would accelerate. However, Communist leaders continue to suppress freedom of expression, and to attack those campaigning for it.

Critics of the government's territorial concessions to China, advocates of democracy, and those speaking out against religious repression have been imprisoned or put under house arrest, and a noticeable crackdown on the use of the internet as a forum for free expression was initiated in 2002. In June, the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Culture and Information to tighten up controls at Vietnam's four thousand public internet cafés to prevent customers from accessing 'state secrets', 'pornography' or 'reactionary documents', and the government blocked approximately two thousand websites.

In August, the Ministry of Culture and Information ordered the closure of the popular Hanoi-based website ttvonline.com for operating an internet site without official permission and publishing articles 'contrary to the spirit' of the Press Law. On 16 August 2002 the Ministry announced that penalties would be imposed on internet café owners who allowed customers to view websites harmful to national security or that displayed 'depraved' or 'reactionary' content, and in October the Ministry of Culture and Information ordered Vietnam's state-owned internet service providers to block politically and morally unacceptable web content.

The Writers in Prison Committee currently has ten Vietnamese writers on its case list, two of whom have received severe custodial sentences for publishing their views online. Two more internet writers are currently in detention awaiting trial, and one other is under house arrest.

A resolution was passed by the Assembly of Delegates of International PEN at the 68th Congress in Ohrid, Macedonia, denouncing the lack of freedom of expression in Vietnam and urging the Vietnamese authorities to abide by their international obligations. In addition, at the Writers in Prison Committees biennial conference, held in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in November 2002, the WiPC identified Vietnam as a country of high concern and laid out plans for the present Vietnam campaign.

Campaign issues:

There are currently ten Vietnamese writers on the Writers in Prison Committee case list detained for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression. Many have used the Internet to disseminate their writings. The writings for which they have been penalized can be identified as belonging to one or more of three groups:

• Criticism of territorial concessions

• Promotion of democracy

• Criticism of religious oppression

Vietnam is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and has been a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) since 1982. Among other fundamental rights, the ICCPR enshrines the right to freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary detention and religious freedom.

Article 9 states: Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law. Anyone who is arrested shall be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for his arrest and shall be promptly informed of any charges against him. Anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release.

Article 18 states: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.

Article 19 states: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of choice.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact the Freedom to Write Committee by e-mailing ftw@pen.org.