Resoconto integrale delle discussioni

Giovedì 15 novembre 2018 - Strasburgo

4.1. Vietnam, in particolare la situazione dei prigionieri politici

  Πρόεδρος. – Το επόμενο σημείο στην ημερήσια διάταξη είναι η συζήτηση επί έξι προτάσεων ψηφίσματος σχετικά με το Βιετνάμ, ιδίως την κατάσταση των πολιτικών κρατουμένων (2018/2925(RSP)).

  Marek Jurek, autor. – Panie Przewodniczący! Państwa komunistyczne często ewoluują, wielu z nas wie to najlepiej, bo widziało to w ciągu swojego życia, ale komunizm to komunizm i niestety w naszych relacjach z państwami, które mają tego typu rządy, musimy zawsze zwracać uwagę na konieczność odejścia od tej ideologii. W Wietnamie trwają systematyczne prześladowania chrześcijan, czasami bardzo drastyczne. Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton został skazany na 12 lat więzienia, jest chory, rodzina nie ma z nim możliwości kontaktu, a w sytuacji braku leczenia jego życie jest naprawdę poważnie zagrożone. Burzy się kościoły, zakazuje się druku Biblii w języku mniejszości narodowych, na przykład Muongów.

Ale w tym miejscu warto również zwrócić uwagę na to, co dzieje się gdzie indziej w Azji Wschodniej. W Chinach również nasilają się prześladowania Kościoła. Biskup Peter Shao Zhumin został niedawno aresztowany, podobnie jak czterech jego księży. Prosiłbym pana komisarza o zajęcie stanowiska w tej sprawie, dlatego że milczenie będzie...

(Przewodniczący odebrał mówcy głos)

  Barbara Lochbihler, Verfasserin. – Herr Präsident! In Vietnam beobachten wir eine Zunahme an willkürlichen Verhaftungen und politisch motivierten Verurteilungen von Menschenrechts- und Umweltaktivisten, von Rechtsanwälten und Bloggern. Wer seine Meinung frei äußern will, wer Kritik an Missständen übt oder das Recht auf Versammlungsfreiheit nutzt, muss mit Verfolgung und Verhaftung rechnen.

Ich war AFET-Berichterstatterin für das Partnerschaftsabkommen mit Vietnam, dessen Vorgaben für Menschenrechtsschutz auch für das Freihandelsabkommen gelten. Es ist unerlässlich, dass die EU klare Benchmarks für Menschenrechtsschutz formuliert, die Vietnam erfüllen muss, bevor dem Freihandelsabkommen zugestimmt wird. Dazu gehören vor allem die umgehende Freilassung politischer Gefangener, die Überarbeitung des Strafgesetzbuches und die Ratifizierung der IAO-Abkommen 87, 98 und 105. Die EU muss deutliche Worte zu den Menschenrechtsverletzungen in Vietnam finden und die Zivilgesellschaft vor Ort auch durch Prozessbeobachtung und Gefängnisbesuche unterstützen.

  Ignazio Corrao, autore. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor Commissario, quando noi parliamo del Vietnam ci vengono in mente le immagini dalla guerra sanguinosa con gli americani, le bombe e appunto le armi, però in realtà la guerra al nemico si è trasformata in una guerra al dissenso. Nel paese del Sud-Est asiatico, se si esprime un'opinione contraria, specie in materia di diritti umani o diritti ambientali, si finisce in cella, e lì iniziano maltrattamenti, bastonate, elettroshock, iniezioni di sostanze. E noi cosa facciamo per rispondere a tutto questo? Noi premiamo il Vietnam con un bell’accordo commerciale. Allora la risposta di questo Parlamento deve stare lì, nel negare appunto questo accordo commerciale, nel rispondere nei fatti alle violazioni dei diritti umani che avvengono in questo paese.

  Maria Arena, auteure. – Monsieur le Président, la situation en matière de droits humains au Vietnam est préoccupante. Alors que l’Union européenne négocie un accord commercial avec le Vietnam depuis 2012, la situation se détériore de jour en jour. La répression contre la liberté d’expression et la condamnation de toute critique politique à l’égard du gouvernement s’intensifient. Blogueurs, militants pro-démocratie, militants en faveur des droits sociaux et environnementaux sont poursuivis, violentés, torturés, arrêtés arbitrairement, condamnés à de lourdes peines pouvant aller jusqu’à la peine de mort. Faut-il rappeler que ce pays a exécuté, en moyenne, 147 personnes par an entre 2013 et 2016?

Dans ce contexte, nous demandons aux autorités du Vietnam de libérer les prisonniers politiques et les activistes, d’adopter les lois nécessaires pour garantir la liberté d’expression, de ratifier et de respecter les conventions de l’OIT, notamment en matière de liberté d’association.

Nous demandons aussi à la Commission de prendre en considération cette situation désastreuse en matière de droits humains dans le cadre des discussions sur l’accord commercial.

  Marietje Schaake, author. – Mr President, a staggering 160 human rights activists are in prison in Vietnam, reflecting the systematic repression in the country: from free expression to freedom of belief, all the way to the abysmal prison conditions and the application of the death penalty.

We call on the Vietnamese authorities to respect human rights and to release those only detained for exercising their human rights. We urge access for UN special rapporteurs on human rights defenders, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression. We remind the Vietnamese authorities that human rights are a clear conditionality when it comes to trade relations.

And I wanted to specifically zoom in on freedom of expression, online and offline, given the fact that Vietnam ranks 175th out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders’ list of press freedom in the world. They really have to start respecting the rights of freedom of expression, online and offline, and the least we can do in Europe is to stop the export of surveillance systems that are used to track and trace human rights defenders.

  Michaela Šojdrová, Autorka. – Pane předsedající, Vietnam je dynamicky se rozvíjející země, která má před sebou slibnou budoucnost. Stejně jako v Číně ale i zde dochází pod vládou komunistické strany k masivnímu porušování lidských práv a svobod. Vidíme tu také podobný paradox jako v jiných takzvaně komunistických systémech – neexistence odborů, masivní porušování práv pracujících nebo závislost médií na politických aktérech.

Index Reportéři bez hranic uvádí, že v roce 2018 se závislost médií na komunistické straně dokonce ještě zvýšila. Svobodný tisk prakticky neexistuje a jakýkoliv nezávislý projev v médiích je ve většině případů trestán odnětím svobody.

Také chci zmínit, že trest smrti je ve Vietnamu stále aktuální záležitostí a o to více je alarmující skutečnost, že Vietnam drží počet odsouzených k trestu smrti v tajnosti před mezinárodním společenstvím. Toto jsou závažná fakta, ke kterým nemůžeme mlčet. Přimět k něčemu Čínu je složité, ale v případě Vietnamu máme v rukou jistý nástroj. Na spadnutí je totiž podpis dohody o volném obchodu mezi Evropskou unií a Vietnamem. Evropský parlament v tomto usnesení dává najevo, že mu situace politických vězňů, blogerů, aktivistů, křesťanských duchovních a masy obyvatel sledované režimem pomocí moderních technologií není lhostejná. Evropský parlament bude trvat na zlepšení ze strany Vietnamu, jinak neudělí obchodní dohodě souhlas.

Vietnam je pro mě země paradoxně velmi blízká, protože v České republice žije sto tisíc Vietnamců, což je největší komunita v Evropě. Proto bych si přála, aby Evropská unie měla s Vietnamem dobré ekonomické vztahy. Bez podmínek to ale nepůjde. Jsem také ráda, že k tomu je velký konsensus napříč politickými stranami v Evropském parlamentu.

  Seán Kelly, on behalf of the PPE Group. – I condemn the types of practices mentioned in this resolution and call on the Vietnamese authorities to release anyone it has imprisoned for exercising their fundamental right. I would also call for the criminal code to be reassessed and any laws which restrict these basic undertakings.

In my opinion, Vietnam should ratify all human rights treaties of the United Nations, and cannot be seen to take human rights seriously until having done so. At the same time, having visited Vietnam a couple of years ago on a mission on behalf of INTA, I know Vietnam to be a wonderful, beautiful country with exceptionally nice and decent people.

But I must stand up to this injustice and insist that it stop occurring. The relationship between the EU and Vietnam is a great one but full respect of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly must be respected on both sides and the EU should work with Vietnam to ensure this can happen.

  Neena Gill, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, with the EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements on the table, we need to be more serious about the ‘essential elements’ clauses. Domestic repression has worsened in Vietnam. Human rights activists and bloggers not only face surveillance, intimidation and arbitrary arrest, but long stints in pre-trial detention, solitary confinements and excessive sentences.

So Commissioner, I’d like you to clarify a couple of points, please. In terms of, firstly, what concrete human rights improvements has Vietnam made following the FTA negotiations?

Secondly, how will the Commission ensure that Vietnam amends its repressive legal framework, in particular the penal code, the law on cyber security, bringing it into full compliance with international human rights standards?

Thirdly, besides pressing Vietnam to release political prisoners, has the EU pushed for establishment of an Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate grievances and provide oversight over these authorities?

  Mark Demesmaeker, namens de ECR-Fractie. – Voorzitter, er is al veel gezegd in dit debat en af en toe moeten we toch eens in de spiegel kijken. Natuurlijk is een vrijhandelsakkoord van groot belang voor de dynamiek en de ontwikkeling van een land als Vietnam, voor de welvaart van zijn mensen.

Maar herhalen we ook niet altijd dat vrije handel en een vrije samenleving hand in hand moeten gaan? Snakken mensen ook en vooral niet naar vrijheid? Antwoordt u eens eerlijk: heeft de overheid van Vietnam in uw ogen al voldoende getoond dat het concrete stappen zet om een einde te maken aan de massale mensenrechtenschendingen en de repressie?

De feiten: journalisten, mensenrechtenverdedigers, bloggers, geestelijken, politieke activisten, zij belanden voor het minste kritische geluid in de cel. Ik noem nadrukkelijk Hoang Duc Binh, Nguyen Nam Phong, Nguyen Trung Truc en Le Dinh Luong. Zij moeten vrijgelaten worden, net als honderden anderen.

Ik verzoek de Commissie daarom met klem om Vietnam tijdens de mensenrechtendialoog blijvend te wijzen op zijn verplichtingen.

  Gilles Lebreton, au nom du groupe ENF. – Monsieur le Président, les régimes communistes européens se sont effondrés en 1989, deux ans avant que l’URSS ne disparaisse à son tour. On trouve malgré tout encore quelques régimes communistes dans le monde, comme par exemple au Vietnam, qui fait figure de dinosaure.

La Constitution vietnamienne proclame, je cite, que «le Parti communiste, avant-garde de la classe ouvrière, est la force qui dirige l’État et la société». L’Assemblée nationale et la justice sont donc à ses ordres.

Le Vietnam cherche depuis vingt ans à s’insérer dans la société internationale, c’est ainsi qu’il a adhéré à l’ASEAN en 1995, à l’APEC en 1998, à l’OMC en 2007 et qu’il a signé un accord de partenariat avec l’Union européenne en 2012.

Malgré tout, le Vietnam n’en demeure pas moins une dictature qui emprisonne ses opposants politiques, comme par exemple M. Dinh Luong, condamné à vingt ans de prison le 16 août dernier. Le Premier ministre français vient pourtant de faire l’éloge du président Hô Chi Minh, fondateur de cette dictature communiste, en échange de la signature de contrats commerciaux.

L’Union européenne aurait pu sauver l’honneur européen, mais elle ne le fera pas, car elle s’apprête à signer un accord de libre-échange avec le Vietnam. Bientôt les consommateurs européens pourront donc acheter à vil prix les produits fabriqués par les prisonniers politiques vietnamiens.

  Wajid Khan (S&D). – Mr President, Vietnam is actually reducing its citizens' freedom in every area. There are over 100 human rights defenders languishing in jail, often in awful conditions, and the new cyber security law will give authorities more tools to silence dissent. It might surprise Members that despite all this, the EU is accelerating the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement process, pushing for a swift implementation. This Parliament must make it clear that we will not ratify this unless there is solid progress on human rights. The EU risks losing its credibility, if on the one hand it withdraws trade preferences with Cambodia over human rights abuses, and on the other hand, it signs a trade agreement with one of the most repressive states in Southeast Asia. Therefore, I urge Vietnam to release political prisoners, bring its legislation in line with international human rights standards, halt all executions and ratify the ILO conventions, and I call on the EU to strengthen their efforts to ensure concrete human rights improvements in Vietnam. The EU trade policy was designed as a tool to promote human rights in third countries and, Mr President, we must use it as such.

  Jean-Luc Schaffhauser (ENF). – Monsieur le Président, chers collègues, le conflit naissant en mer de Chine orientale doit amener nos États à agir avec la plus grande précaution.

Nous sommes enserrés entre les États-Unis, qui soufflent sur les braises, les États de la région, qui se réarment, et la Chine, qui investit massivement dans sa marine de guerre. La situation devient extrêmement critique et nous faisons face à un risque de conflit majeur. J’ai toujours combattu le communisme et je n’ai aucune tendresse pour le régime de Hanoï. Je trouve particulièrement intolérables les persécutions dont souffrent les catholiques vietnamiens. Ce ne sont pas des proclamations grandiloquentes, mais des actions diplomatiques discrètes et résolues de nos États qui pourront les faire cesser. Mais en Asie, on négocie toujours en respectant la souveraineté nationale de ses interlocuteurs. Il suffirait de refuser l’accord commercial, produit de votre idéologie et qui livre d’ailleurs nos économies au dumping féroce d’un pays sans règles, pour obtenir des concessions et obtenir une plus grande démocratie. Alors pourquoi n’allez-vous pas dans cette direction?

Donc, une fois de plus, agissez avec prudence et fermeté!

Διαδικασία catch-the-eye

  Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Nie podpisałem się pod tą rezolucją, ale oczywiście zagłosuje za nią. Nie podpisałem się, bo uważam, że autorzy tego typu rezolucji powinni być świetnie zorientowani we wszystkich szczegółach i wiedzieć o każdym punkcie coś więcej, niż tylko wynika to z uzasadnienia. Zagłosuje oczywiście za tą rezolucją przede wszystkim ze względu na trzy punkty: J, K i M, czyli te, które obejmują prawa organizacji pozarządowych, prawa dziennikarzy, działalność wolnych mediów. Sami Reporterzy bez Granic piszą, iż państwo to zasługuje rzeczywiście na szczególną uwagę ze względu na najgorsze warunki pracy dziennikarzy i wolnych mediów. Przypomnę: jest to chyba 175. lub 176. państwo na 180 ocenianych, jeżeli chodzi o prawa dziennikarzy do wykonywania zawodu. Z tego powodu, podkreślam, poprę ten apel i treść rezolucji.

  Jude Kirton-Darling (S&D). – Mr President, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the human rights situation in Vietnam. Well, that’s for everyone except for our trade negotiators. Human rights defenders report a deteriorating situation on the ground, whether they be online bloggers, religious minorities or trade union leaders in shoe factories or in the fishing industries. In a country where basic freedoms such as the freedom of speech or religious rights are routinely denied to the population and where political opposition is systematically repressed and over 150 reported prisoners of conscience and human rights activists are currently detained in often terrible conditions, if the EU was serious about securing progress in terms of human and labour rights in Vietnam it would insist on the release of these prisoners and the pre-ratification of human rights and ILO core conventions as a precondition to our ratification of the trade and investment agreements. At the very least, the EU should articulate a series of tangible human rights benchmarks that Vietnam must meet before those agreements come before this House for approval. That’s at the very least – we need more, and we need better.

  Νότης Μαριάς (ECR). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, το Βιετνάμ είναι το νέο Eldorado. Οι πολυεθνικές στήνουν πάρτι. Έχουν κάνει επενδύσεις, αξιοποιούν τους μισθούς πείνας του Βιετνάμ και, βεβαίως, κερδίζουν υπερβολικά ποσά. Γι’ αυτό υπάρχει και ανοχή στην ασυδοσία όσον αφορά την προστασία των εργασιακών δικαιωμάτων στο Βιετνάμ και -πολύ περισσότερο- ανοχή, πλέον, στην καταπίεση, στην παραβίαση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων, στις καταδίκες ακτιβιστών και στην κακομεταχείριση των κρατουμένων, οι οποίοι δεν έχουν καν πρόσβαση σε δικηγόρο. Είναι γεγονός ότι ο ποινικός κώδικας του Βιετνάμ δεν είναι καν συμβατός με τα διεθνή πρότυπα και, φυσικά, η καταπίεση έχει επεκταθεί και στους χριστιανικούς πληθυσμούς. Απαιτείται, λοιπόν, μορατόριουμ στη θανατική ποινή και, φυσικά, λήψη σκληρών μέτρων κατά του Βιετνάμ. Δεν μπορεί να υπάρχει αυτή η προνομιακή μεταχείριση, με εργαλεία συνεργασίας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και με ελεύθερες συναλλαγές, και να συνεχίζεται αυτή η κατάσταση στο Βιετνάμ.

  Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, esprimere le proprie idee ha un prezzo in Vietnam: rinunciare alla propria libertà e a volte anche alla propria vita. Lo dimostra bene il caso di Hoang Duc Binh, noto blogger vietnamita di 34 anni. La sua denuncia del disastro ambientale causato dalla compagnia taiwanese Formosa gli è costata assai cara: la condanna a ben 14 anni di carcere.

L'accusa: resistenza a pubblico ufficiale e, udite udite, abuso delle libertà democratiche contro gli interessi dello Stato. Paradossale perché l'abuso presuppone il godimento pieno di questa libertà. Libertà di cui però i vietnamiti non beneficiano affatto, specialmente dopo la revisione del codice penale, che addirittura richiede agli avvocati di denunciare i propri stessi assistiti, se colpevoli di determinati reati.

Vi chiedo, allora, colleghi, cosa è cambiato dopo gli accordi firmati con un governo che continua a reprimere con la forza anche il minimo dissenso. Un governo che si fa beffe delle convenzioni internazionali dallo stesso firmate e che è divenuto ormai un paradiso per le multinazionali. Le nostre richieste sono chiare: rilascio immediato e incondizionato di tutti gli attivisti, giornalisti, prigionieri di coscienza e semplici cittadini. Pretendiamo il pieno rispetto dei diritti umani, se questi accordi non sono carta straccia. Su questo no, proprio non possiamo negoziare.

  José Inácio Faria (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, Senhor Comissário, é recorrente nesta casa falarmos do Vietname e, infelizmente, nunca pelos melhores motivos, devo acrescentar. Desta vez, a regra não é excecionada e, uma vez mais, eis-nos aqui a debater a falta de liberdade e democracia e a constante violação dos direitos humanos no Vietname.

Desta vez, Sr. Comissário, o que nos traz aqui é a denúncia efetuada pelo Projeto 88 de que atualmente estão atirados, em condições sub-humanas, para as tristemente célebres prisões vietnamitas, cento e sessenta ativistas e que as autoridades vietnamitas continuam a prender, a perseguir e a intimidar os defensores dos direitos humanos, os jornalistas, os bloguistas, os advogados defensores dos direitos humanos e os ativistas da sociedade civil numa escala sem precedentes.

Sr. Comissário, a União não pode continuar a pactuar com os Estados que sistematicamente violem os seus compromissos internacionais na defesa dos direitos humanos e que persigam quem expressa opinião diferente da oficial. Por isso, Sr. Comissário, é da mais elementar justiça e decência moral que a União inste as autoridades vietnamitas a libertarem, sem exceção, todos os presos políticos, sob pena de ficar comprometido o acordo de cooperação e parceria com o Vietname.

Não podemos, Sr. Comissário, não podemos tolerar mais estes abusos da dignidade humana.

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, já bych chtěl zdůraznit, že Vietnam skutečně udělal zásadní pokrok v uplynulém období, nicméně je důležité si uvědomit, že to skutečně není svobodný stát, že nemá v žádném případě demokratický charakter. Pokud mluvíme o jedné straně, kde neexistuje opozice, neexistují odbory, pokud mluvíme o nesvobodě médií, neexistenci pluralitních názorů, naopak dokonce pro jiný názor jsou zde političtí vězni, tak to je jednoznačné, že se nejedná o demokratický charakter státu, o tom ostatně nikdo ani nepochybuje. Máme zde nejen politické vězně, ale i náboženské vězně.

Co můžeme udělat více? Máme zde nástroj té obchodní dohody, myslím si, že bychom měli více tlačit na vietnamskou vládu. Samozřejmě i naše diplomatické úsilí, naše delegace, které vyráží do Vietnamu, musí o těchto našich základních výhradách hovořit. My můžeme mluvit, a proto bychom na těchto delegacích skutečně mluvit měli i o těchto palčivých otázkách a já samozřejmě tuto rezoluci podporuji.

(Λήξη της διαδικασίας catch-the-eye)

  Christos Stylianides, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, the European Union is closely following the human rights situation in Vietnam. Vietnam has made significant economic and social progress over the past twenty years, which resulted in a substantial advancement in socio-economic rights. However, I personally underline that we share your concerns, Parliament’s concerns, regarding political prisoners in the country. The frequent use of vaguely drafted national security provisions in Vietnam’s Penal Code results in numerous arrests, sentencing and detention of Vietnamese citizens who peacefully express their opinion both online and offline.

As the European Union, we systematically discuss our concerns over limitations to freedom of expression and freedom of religion with authorities, including at the highest levels, calling on the Government to end persecution and harassment, and to release all peaceful advocates of human rights.

The continued harassment and detention of an increasing number of human rights defenders is systematically raised during our annual Human Rights Dialogue. This is also where we discuss a number of individual cases. Moreover in Hanoi, the EU regularly asks for the possibility to attend trials, to visit human rights defenders in prison or under house arrest, and insist on prisoners having access to legal counsel, medical care and, of course, family visits.

We extend specific support to the Government in order to strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law. We share best practices with selected ministries, provide input to the National Assembly on the legal framework including on the Penal Code, Labour Law and on Cybersecurity, and promote joint actions with like-minded partners and countries.

Vietnam and the EU are committed to work towards a closer partnership by implementing the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement. No doubt, a key tool is the institutional and legally binding linkage between the Free Trade Agreement and the partnership and cooperation agreement ensuring that respect for human rights is an essential element of the trade relations.

The European Union wants a prosperous Vietnam, a country that respects the rule of law and human rights and honours its international commitments. While firmly stating that the negative trend of restricting the right to freedom of expression needs to be reversed, the EU stands ready to engage with Vietnam to improve the human rights conditions in the country.

  Πρόεδρος. – Η συζήτηση έληξε.

Η ψηφοφορία θα διεξαχθεί μετά τη λήξη των συζητήσεων.

Γραπτές δηλώσεις (άρθρο 162 του Κανονισμού)

  Monica Macovei (ECR), in writing. – In Vietnam, human rights defenders and political activists face extreme hardship as they continue to be imprisoned, detained, and harassed by the Vietnamese authorities. Currently an estimated 160 activists are serving prison sentences, according to the Vietnamese Political Prisoner Database. Freedom of the press, of expression and of peaceful assembly and the right to privacy are strongly restricted as the authorities abuse the repressive provisions embedded in the Vietnamese Criminal Code These actions directly contradict the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam acceded in 1982. Political intimidation, threats of prolonged prison sentences and the restrictions to freedoms are some factors resulting in Vietnam’s rank of 175 out of 180 on the 2018 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. The Vietnamese Government needs to repeal all repressive laws, releasing human rights defenders and prisoners of conscious while providing them with appropriate medical and legal support in addition to trial monitoring. The comprehensive discussions between the EU and Vietnam in Human Rights Dialogue continue to be necessary as key instruments used to encourage Vietnam in the implementation of human rights reforms. The European Union must continue to press for concrete human rights improvements in Vietnam.

  Csaba Sógor (PPE), in writing. – Despite its economic progress, Vietnam’s human rights situation remains dire. Basic rights, including freedom of speech, opinion, the press, association, and religion, are restricted, while the criminal justice system lacks independence. In its relations with Vietnam, the EU should pressure its important trading partner’s authorities to ease restrictions on civil and political rights and to act in defence of human rights activists calling for democracy and greater freedoms. In particular, it should firmly call on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience detained or sentenced, including Hoang Duc Binh, Nguyen Nam Phong, Nguyen Trung Truc and Le Dinh Luong.