UN Human Rights Briefing by Marta Hurtado on Vietnam
/
2:31
/
MP4
/
291.6 MB

Edited News , Press Conferences | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Briefing on Vietnam

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado made the following comments on Vietnam:

We are deeply troubled by the detention of prominent environmental human rights defender Hoang Thi Minh Hong in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, on Wednesday this week. According to credible sources, Hoang and several colleagues were detained for questioning by the Police Division for Economics Crimes on Wednesday. While others were subsequently released and asked to return to the police station for further questioning, she was presented with a temporary detention order with charges of tax evasion,” she said.

Hoang is the fifth prominent environmental human rights defenders arrested in Viet Nam for tax evasion in the last two years. Dang Dinh Bach, arrested last year on the same charge, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.

“Following the arrests of other human rights defenders, Hoang had closed her environmental organization, saying that she feared she would also be prosecuted. The chilling effect of such detentions is palpable among civil society in Viet Nam, and risks halting back debate on issues of importance to society as a whole,” Hurtado said.

Arrests of environmental human rights defenders are taking place amid Viet Nam’s stated commitments to a just and sustainable energy transition. For a truly just and sustainable energy transition, human rights defenders and environmental organizations must be able to participate freely and actively in shaping climate and environmental policies and decision-making.

“We are also deeply concerned about a broader trend of arrests, arbitrary detention, and disproportionate sentencing of journalists, bloggers, Facebook users, social activists, land rights defenders, human rights defenders and leaders of registered civil society organizations,” the spokesperson said.

We have reports that at least 20 such individuals have been arrested so far this year, although the real figure may be higher. Over the past few years, UN human rights mechanisms have addressed the application of restrictive legislation, including vague anti-State propaganda charges against human rights defenders or victims, including those who engage with the UN,” she said.

There are also serious concerns about the independence of the judiciary, the right to fair trial, standards of treatment in detention, and the severity of sentences imposed on those prosecuted for exercising their fundamental rights, in particular the freedom of expression.

“We call on the Government of Viet Nam to review relevant laws to ensure their full compliance with international human rights standards. We also urge the authorities to promptly release all those arbitrarily detained, and to ensure that environmental advocates and other human rights defenders are protected and can participate meaningfully in decision-making, without being subjected to intimidation or legal harassment. This is a call that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has particularly emphasized to all States, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year. she said.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or

Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or

Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org

Tag and share

Twitter @UNHumanRights

Facebook unitednationshumanrights

Instagram @unitednationshumanrights

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

  1. Exterior shot: Wide shot Palais des Nations
  2. Wide Shot: Briefing room
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are deeply troubled by the detention of prominent environmental human rights defender Hoang Thi Minh Hong in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, on Wednesday this week. According to credible sources, Hoang and several colleagues were detained for questioning by the Police Division for Economics Crimes on Wednesday. While others were subsequently released and asked to return to the police station for further questioning, she was presented with a temporary detention order with charges of tax evasion.”
  4. Cut aways: Briefing room
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): “Following the arrests of other human rights defenders, Hoang had closed her environmental organization, saying that she feared she would also be prosecuted. The chilling effect of such detentions is palpable among civil society in Viet Nam, and risks holding back debate on issues of importance to society as a whole.”
  6. Cut aways: Briefing room
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are also deeply concerned about a broader trend of arrests, arbitrary detention, and disproportionate sentencing of journalists, bloggers, Facebook users, social activists, land rights defenders, human rights defenders and leaders of registered civil society organizations.”
  8. Cut aways: Briefing room
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): We have reports that at least 20 such individuals have been arrested so far this year, although the real figure may be higher. Over the past few years, UN human rights mechanisms have addressed the application of restrictive legislation, including vague anti-State propaganda charges against human rights defenders or victims, including those who engage with the UN.”
  10. Cut aways: Briefing room
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): “We call on the Government of Viet Nam to review relevant laws to ensure their full compliance with international human rights standards. We also urge the authorities to promptly release all those arbitrarily detained, and to ensure that environmental advocates and other human rights defenders are protected and can participate meaningfully in decision-making, without being subjected to intimidation or legal harassment. This is a call that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has particularly emphasized to all States, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year.

Similar Stories

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 15 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OCHA , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 15 August 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.

INC5 2 Plastic Pollution Conference: UNEP Executive director Inger Andersen Media Stakeout - 15 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences , Statements | UNEP

INC5 2 Plastic Pollution Conference: UNEP Executive director Inger Andersen Media Stakeout - 15 August 2025 ENG FRA

After 10 days of UN talks on plastic pollution, no consensus was reached; negotiations to continue.

Gaza health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza health update - WHO ENG FRA

Gaza: Hospitals continue to overflow with people injured while seeking food - WHO 

As besieged Palestinian civilians face widespread malnutrition and starvation, hospitals in the Strip are increasingly overwhelmed by the influx of victims of shootings and other injuries at food distribution areas, warns the World Health Organization.

 

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 12 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 12 August 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by representatives from the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the World Health Organization.

 

Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar Press conference: Launch of Annual Report - 12 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar Press conference: Launch of Annual Report - 12 August 2025 ENG FRA

Launch of IIMM’s Annual Report detailing its progress in investigating serious international crimes committed in Myanmar, including advances in identifying perpetrators.

UNEP - Press Conference: INC-5.2 on plastic pollution

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNEP

UNEP - Press Conference: INC-5.2 on plastic pollution ENG FRA

Press Conference - Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5.2)

Sudan update UNHCR - WHO - UNMAS

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , WHO , UNMAS

Sudan update UNHCR - WHO - UNMAS ENG FRA

Urgent help is needed to halt a deadly cholera outbreak that is sweeping across Sudan, UN agencies said on Friday, while warning that communities continue to be terrorized by parties to the conflict even as they flee violence.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 08 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNHCR , WHO , UNMAS , UN HABITAT

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 08 August 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Mine Action Service, and UN Habitat.

 

UNEP Press conference: Plastic Pollution (INC-5.2)- 05 August 2025

2

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News , Images | UNEP

UNEP Press conference: Plastic Pollution (INC-5.2)- 05 August 2025 ENG FRA

Negotiations got under way at UN Geneva on Tuesday to agree on a legally binding treaty to curb plastic pollution, with delegates from nearly 180 countries attending.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 05 August 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 05 August 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UN Women, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 

Gaza aid update OCHA - UNICEF

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF

Gaza aid update OCHA - UNICEF ENG FRA

Gaza: Hundreds of trucks per day of free aid needed “for months”, in addition to commercial supplies - OCHA

Despite the tactical pauses Israel introduced last week to allow some safe passage for humanitarian convoys, the amount of aid that has entered Gaza remains by far insufficient for the starving population, and UN trucks continue to face impediments on their way to delivering aid. 

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UN WOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.