On Thursday 21 January, the European Parliament condemned the escalation of the repression of dissent and the increased human rights violations in Vietnam.
In the joint resolution adopted by the Greens/EFA, ECR, S&D, Renew Europe and EPP groups (592 votes in favour, 32 against and 58 abstentions), MEPs call on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan as well as all other journalists, human rights and environmental activists, trade unionists and prisoners of conscience detained and sentenced for simply exercising their right to freedom of expression, and to drop all charges against them (see EUROPE 12630/6).
The Vietnamese government should also revise provisions in the Penal Code that unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association and end censorship of information and against independent media.
Noting that respect for human rights is an essential element of Vietnam-EU bilateral relations and of the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation and Free Trade Agreements, MEPs call on the parties to use these agreements to improve the human rights situation.
See the joint resolution: http://bit.ly/2NqqPjm (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)