The situation of Vietnamese authorities criminalizing citizens’ freedom of speech is becoming increasingly serious, despite Article 25 of the 2013 Constitution, which stipulates: “Citizens have the right to freedom of speech, press, access information, form associations, and demonstrate according to the law.”
In Vietnam, there is only one media system controlled and managed by the state. As for the free press and publishing system of individuals or civil society organizations, the government is tightly controlled, suppressed and brutally destroyed. The fact that Vietnam is often ranked near the bottom of the table in terms of press freedom is the clearest evidence. Latest, “Vietnam ranks near the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index 2022.“
The fact that writer Ta Duy Anh – Facebooker Lao Ta recently had his account suspended on the social network Facebook, on the grounds that this writer courageously dared to speak the truth, is another proof.
That is the result after many years of Vietnam using laws and tax policies to force social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok… to censor content considered “bad and toxic” by the state. And the number of personal accounts disabled on social networks Facebook and YouTube is increasing.
Most recently, on September 8, state media reported that the state decided to establish a Cyber Security Association, with the purpose of preventing “bad guys from discrediting Party leaders.” Mr. Luong Tam Quang, Lieutenant General, Deputy Minister of Public Security, was appointed chairman of the association.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of the National Cyber Security Association, Minister of Public Security To Lam said that one of the reasons for establishing this agency was to prevent “some cases where bad guys take advantage of space network to propagate, discredit party leaders, or incite protests and sabotage.” According to him, in addition to preventing “bad guys from discrediting Party leaders,” the National Cyber Security Association is also tasked with protecting cyber sovereignty, controlling cyber space, and mastering software development services. Accordingly, “The Association will act as a shield to protect Vietnam’s security, interests, and sovereignty in cyberspace. The Association will create Vietnam’s cyber security, form a high-value cyber security market on the international map, create strong cyber security corporations and companies, recognized by the world.”
According to observers, the Vietnamese government’s establishment of the National Cyber Security Association takes place in the context of Vietnamese authorities strengthening control, forcing social networking platforms such as Facebook, Youtube TikTok… to remove restrictions. “vicious” posts and video clips, meaning they want to “silence” different opinions and not comply with the Party’s direction.
VietNamnet quoted a report from the Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information dated June 30, saying that in just the first six months of 2023, “prevention and removal of malicious information in cyberspace has reached a high rate.” Accordingly, Facebook removed “2,549 posts, 12 accounts,” while YouTube “removed 6,101 videos, 7 channels,” and TikTok “removed 415 links and 149 accounts” for the reason of “violating community rules” or state management regulations.
Meanwhile, international human rights organizations regularly denounce organizations established by the Vietnamese state, including “public opinion” forces and “Force 47” which they call ” network combat operations,“ regularly reports to social networks YouTube and Facebook to disable personal pages belonging to “reactionary” elements and “hostile forces.”
And Human Rights Watch (HRW) and many individuals and organizations protecting human rights at home and abroad have repeatedly accused the companies Google and Facebook of “surrendering” and going against the principles of freedom of information and comply with the demands of the dictatorial party regime in Hanoi. Thus, Google and Facebook have assisted the Vietnamese government, neutralizing people’s “freedom of speech.”
78 years ago, in 1946 the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam passed the Constitution, in which Article 10 clearly states: “Vietnamese citizens have the right to: Freedom of speech; freedom to publish; freedom to organize and assemble; freedom of belief; Freedom to reside and travel within the country and abroad.”
In the Law on Access to Information and the Press Law promulgated by the Vietnamese National Assembly in 2016, there are specific regulations to ensure citizens’ freedom of speech. Article 11 of the 2016 Press Law clearly stipulates, “Vietnamese citizens have the right to express opinions about the situation in the country and the world; give opinions on the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws; Contribute opinions, criticisms, recommendations, complaints and denunciations in the press to organizations and individuals.”
However, in reality, freedom of speech in Vietnam has been limited and increasingly tightened. Vietnamese citizens are not allowed to speak freely and cannot exercise their right to freedom of expression.
The essence of the right to freedom of speech is to give people the right to freely express their opinions, as Mr. Ho Chi Minh said, the general idea is, “Democracy is making people open their mouths” and “If the Government If the government does not do well, the people have the right to expel the Government.” However, it is clear that freedom of speech in Vietnam is currently understood to only be used to praise the Party and government according to its orientation.
All citizens are equal before the law. If anyone abuses to violate the interests of individuals or organizations, it will be regulated by the Civil Law, not arbitrarily criminalized as in Vietnam today now.
By tightening and increasing management measures, it is clear that the Vietnamese government has violated the people’s rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of expression which are enshrined in the country’s Constitution./ .
Tra My – Thoibao.de
