Hanoi government tightens reins on journalists
International Journalists’ Network 30/06/2006 International press freedom advocates are alarmed about a recent Vietnamese government decree that further tightens restrictions on the press. A law that will take effect July 1 requires journalists to submit their reports for government review before publication, among other things. The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) criticized the government for the new decree, which would punish “denying revolutionary achievements” and require prior review. Under current law, stories that reveal state secrets bring a prison term of up to 15 years. This is one of several provisions that regularly attract condemnation from international media and human rights watchdogs, such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
According to
RSF, most news media in Meanwhile, a government official on June 21 announced the launch of a new Web site for the pro-government Viet Nam Journalists Association (VJA, at www.vja.org.vn). The site aims to inform journalists about the association's activities and serve them as a forum and networking tool. To Huy Rua, secretary and director of the Commission for Ideology and Culture, announced the site during a speech urging the press to publish reports supporting the nation’s security and development, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
SEAPA:
http://www.seapa.org/.
Vietnam Human Rights Network |