General situation

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2023-124-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2023
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 Country Team
Dates of prior UN action
March 2023,
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
  • Women’s rights
Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Engagement with UN body
  • UN Treaty Bodies: UN Treaty Bodies - General
  • UN Human Rights Council: UPR
Reprisal information
  1. The 2022 United Nations Country Annual Results report of Viet Nam91 noted that the space in which civil society organizations operate has narrowed with the exercise of greater government control over their activities, 92 discouraging civil society organizations’ partnership with the UN. As a result, many organizations have avoided registering as CSOs/NGOs and explored other legal modalities. The report notes that the NGOs most affected are those working on human rights, gender equality and discrimination, the rule of law and governance. Government partners and civil society organizations expressed reluctance to engage with international human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies (page 66).
  2. According to information received by OHCHR, the arbitrary application of restrictive legislation, including vaguely defined provisions in the Criminal Code related to propaganda against the State and the NGO regulatory framework,93 negatively impacted on the ability and willingness of civil society organizations to engage with the United Nations. During the period, civil society organizations were allegedly hesitant to engage with the United Nations as implementing partners or to receive funds from the United Nations for fear of being investigated and found in violation of the complex and vague taxation legislation.94 Several NGOs and long-standing United Nations partners refrained from publicly engaging with human rights mechanisms, including treaty body reviews during the period95 and the ongoing preparations leading up to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Viet Nam, scheduled to take place in April–May 2024, due to fear of retribution. Additional details of those concerned are withheld due to fear of reprisals.
Types of reprisals suffered
  • 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
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