Vietnam
(asked on 16th March 2015) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to pursue the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Professor Heiner Bielefeldt, in his report A/HRC/28/66/Add.2 on freedom of religion and belief in Vietnam, at (1) the United Nations, (2) the United Nations Human Rights Council and (3) in their direct communications with the government of Vietnam.
This question was answered on 25th March 2015
The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised our human rights concerns at his recent visit to Vietnam, both during the Strategic Dialogue and in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on 27 February. Our Embassy in Hanoi also works closely with Embassies of likeminded countries to ensure freedom of religion or belief is raised regularly with the Vietnamese authorities, for example at the EU-Vietnam human rights dialogue in January. In our annual Human Rights Report we highlighted our concerns about vague provisions within the current penal code of Vietnam, including the article highlighted in the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations, and encouraged the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take appropriate steps. We also played a full role in the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Vietnam in 2014. We will continue to champion the UN’s special procedure mechanisms and urge all UN member states to offer an open invitation to and cooperate with Rapporteurs on country visits.
The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised our human rights concerns at his recent visit to Vietnam, both during the Strategic Dialogue and in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on 27 February. Our Embassy in Hanoi also works closely with Embassies of likeminded countries to ensure freedom of religion or belief is raised regularly with the Vietnamese authorities, for example at the EU-Vietnam human rights dialogue in January. In our annual Human Rights Report we highlighted our concerns about vague provisions within the current penal code of Vietnam, including the article highlighted in the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations, and encouraged the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take appropriate steps. We also played a full role in the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Vietnam in 2014. We will continue to champion the UN’s special procedure mechanisms and urge all UN member states to offer an open invitation to and cooperate with Rapporteurs on country visits.