World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s 31st annual review of human rights practices and trends globally, features misleading reports that the Vietnamese Government restricts basic civil and political rights, such as freedom of expression, association, assembly, and the right to practice beliefs and religion.

Based in New York, HRW releases its World Report annually with the intention of distorting the reality of the human rights situations in various countries, including in Vietnam.

This year's World Report by HRW is 761 pages long and full of misinformation regarding the real situation in Vietnam.

Public opinion is all too familiar with the so-called "Annual World Report" or "Annual Report" given by HRW.

In its latest report, there are claims that it has fully updated and assessed the human rights situation in hundreds of countries around the world, although HRW continues to put on a "judicial coat" in passing judgment on human rights in the nation.

HRW continues to tolerate those who abuse their right to freedom of expression, the press, and the use of social networks to violate issues of national security and social order, while simultaneously promoting propaganda against the country and its renewal achievements. Indeed, names like Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan, self-proclaimed journalists of the Vietnam Association of Independent Journalists (VAIJ), are all quoted in the report, along with Pham Thi Doan Trang who claims to be a famous blogger.

It should therefore be affirmed that there are absolutely no so-called "activists and dissidents" who have been tried in the nation.

Locally, only citizens who violate Vietnamese law are arrested, prosecuted, and tried, such as Nguyen Tuong Thuy, the self-proclaimed vice-chairman of the VAIJ who regularly criticises and distorts Party guidelines, State policies, and laws. He often calls for pluralism and uses his personal blogs, personal Facebook account, and website of the VAIJ as a platform to post about these things. In addition, Pham Thi Doan Trang, influenced and manipulated by anti-regime ideologies, even participated in demonstrations to disrupt law and order.

Obviously Thuy and Trang, like many others who are self-proclaimed democrats or dissidents, have violated local laws and must be dealt with.

This remains a true and necessary fact due to it being unacceptable to tolerate such law breakers in any country.

For example, recently in the United States when a leader’s speech and behaviour provokes a crowd, public opinion reacts strongly, even to the extend of the leader's social media accounts being permanently locked.

In this incident, many politicians and US citizens raised concerns to demand strict punishments are dealt out to extremists, disruptors, and violators of the US Government. In its latest report, HRW has deliberately provided unclear information, completely misjudging the human rights situation in the nation, with this organisation ultimately interfering in Vietnamese internal affairs and violating international norms.

The fact shows the Vietnamese State always respects
and guarantees democratic and human rights

Most notably, the Vietnamese State both respects and guarantees democratic and human rights, including the right to freedom of speech and expression of opinions. Indeed, human rights are clearly and specifically stipulated within the Constitution and local laws. Ensuring human rights is a consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State, with human rights and civil rights in terms of politics, economics, culture, and social affairs being recognised, respected, and guaranteed under the Constitution.

All citizens therefore have equal rights, freedom of speech, and freedom of press within the framework of Vietnamese law, a factor which has greatly improved the quality of life and income of local people.

Furthermore, during the course of last year all Vietnamese people fully supported and joined forces with the Party and State’s combined efforts to successfully prevent the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, making an important contribution to achieving positive economic growth of 2.91%. If, as HWR states, the nation is a violator of human rights and doesn’t listens to its people, how was this feat possible?

According to a report released by the "We are social" website, there were more than 68 million internet users in the country last year, accounting for 70% of the national population. The majority of users go online for the purposes of livelihood, learning, live entertainment, expression, and to exercise their human rights, including civil and political rights such as expressing their opinions on draft policies, laws, and Party Congress documents.

Due to this, there can be viewed as no such thing as any human rights violations or arrests of dissidents like the unfounded allegations provided by HRW.

The group has repeatedly released non-objective and erroneous information about the nation, advocating for individuals who oppose local laws as well as those who commit violations.

The fact that they hastily conclude "2020, another terrible year for human rights in Vietnam", is a statement that is both completely false and unacceptable.

Vietnamese people are fully aware of the underhand motives of HRW, a group which does not aim to promote the positive values of people's lives, but in fact just want to take advantage of fake human rights violations as an excuse to interfere in the internal Vietnamese affairs and those of other sovereign countries.