General situation addressed
Cases- Case status
- Unknown
- Location of case in SG report
- 2022-078-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2022
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 14.058324
Longitude: 108.277199
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Vietnam
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- UN Special Procedures: UN Special Procedures - General
- UN (Dep.) High Commissioner on Human Rights
- Dates of prior UN action
- 1 November 2021, 10 December 2021, 17 December 2021, 7 March 2022
- Type of record
- General situation addressed
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Type of rights defended
- Unclear in SG Report
- Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
Engaging with the UN
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Special Procedures: thematic
- Unclear
- Type of attempted engagement
- Unclear
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Vietnam
- Reprisal information
- Multiple UN actors, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights, her Spokesperson and mandate holders continued to address the criminalization, detention, and severe sentencing of human rights defenders, including on vague anti-State propaganda charges, which is aggravated when there is cooperation with the UN (VNM 4/2021). Special procedures mandate holders raised the issue of amendments to the NGO regulatory framework imposing unreasonably burdensome requirements and restrictions, including prior approval for the organization of human rights international conferences and seminars, whether in-person or online (VNM 7/2021). The Government responded noting that the amendments are not meant to limit but to ensure transparent and effective operations, especially in financial matters, and that they do not prohibit or limit conferences and seminars but stipulate the process of applying for permission to organize international conferences and seminars.
- During the period, mandate holders pointed to an environment of fear based on allegations that acts of intimidation and reprisals followed after victims shared their testimonies with, and availed themselves of, procedures established under the auspices of the UN for the protection of human rights, in particular Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (VNM 3/2022). Mandate holders noted that such cases do not only aim to silence specific individuals or groups but contribute to a climate of self-censorship inhibiting others from engaging with and reporting to the United Nations (VNM 6/2021). Names and details of all individuals and groups concerned during the period cannot be disclosed for fear of further reprisals.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Administrative reprisal
- Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Charge/Investigation/Prosecution - General
- Detention/Imprisonment: Detention/Imprisonment - General
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- Yes
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- Yes
- Government response dates
- 27 April 2022
- Government response content
The Government responded noting that the amendments are not meant to limit but to ensure transparent and effective operations, especially in financial matters, and that they do not prohibit or limit conferences and seminars but stipulate the process of applying for permission to organize international conferences and seminars.
- Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- Yes
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 0
sorted by
Date added
3 relationships, 3 entities