B4-0736/98

Resolution on the situation in Vietnam and the cases of Mr Doàn Viêt Hoat, Mr Nguyen Dan Que and Mr Thich Khong Tanh

The European Parliament,

A. deeply concerned about the state of health of Mr Doàn Viêt Hoat, who has been in prison for nearly twenty years for offences of opinion,

B. whereas Mr Doàn Viêt Hoat spent 12 years in prison without judgment, and whereas in 1988 he was rearrested for publishing articles critical of the Communist regime and, in 1993, sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment and 5 years' house arrest,

C. deploring the fact that since 1993 Mr Doàn Viêt Hoat has been transferred to five different places of detention andthat living conditions in the labour camps have continually deteriorated,

D. concerned, furthermore, about the state of health of Mr Nguyen Dan Que, who in 1991, in totally unfair proceedings, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for having sought to 'overthrow the government of the people',

E. deploring the fact that numerous political prisoners are still incarcerated in Vietnam for offences of opinion,

F. condemning the widespread practice of unfair trials where the rights of the defence are in no way respected,

G. concerned about the very harsh conditions in which prisoners are held in Vietnam, and particularly those held in re-education camps,

H. whereas fundamental freedoms and human rights continue to be subordinated to the principle of the defence of 'national security', and stressing the unconstitutionality of Decree 31/CP of 14 April 1997, which allows individuals who are regarded as a danger to State security to be sentenced, without being charged and without trial, to penalties of up to two years' imprisonment,

I. whereas in particular the intellectual Nguyân Xuân Tu, alias Ha Si Phu, the writer Tieu Dao Bao Cu and the poet Bui Minh Quoc are currently subject to the Decree 31/CP regime and are kept under close surveillance by the security forces,

J. condemning the discrimination against and repression of religious practices not recognized by the Communist regime,

K. having regard to the arbitrary censorship to which official press organs are subjected in the name of State security, and the ban on independent press organs,

L. stressing the illegal nature of the arrest and conviction of Mr Thich Khong Tanh, a Buddhist monk belonging to the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, who had organized a humanitarian mission to assist flood victims and who, together with some 20 other persons, was sentenced to several years in prison for 'sabotaging the policy of solidarity' and 'exploiting freedom and democratic rights to the detriment of the interests of the State, social organizations and citizens',

M. deeply concerned at the numerous demonstrations of public dissatisfaction with the corruption of the Communist regime which have occurred in various regions of Vietnam, the very high rate of taxation and the prohibitive cost of land, and condemning the violent repression of these demonstrations by the military and police forces,

N. having regard to the very large number of offences punishable by the death penalty (34) and its growing use by the authorities,O. whereas only a policy of far-reaching political and economic reforms, fully guaranteeing the establishment of the rule of law and the opening of the economy to the market and competition, could contribute to a gradual resolution of the serious situation facing Vietnam,

The European Parliament,

1. Calls on the authorities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to quash immediately the convictions of Mr Doàn Viêt Hoat, Mr Nguyen Dan Que, Mr Thich Khong Tanh and his friends, and their release, as well as that of all other prisoners of conscience;

2. Calls for the house arrest of Mr Thich Huyen Quang and Mr Thich Quang Do, senior religious leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, to be lifted;

3. Calls on the Vietnamese authorities to halt the implementation of Decree 31/CP and all repressive measures against all current victims of them, particularly Mr Ha Si Phu, Mr Tieu Dao Bao Cu and Mr Bui Minh Quoc;

4. Calls for the immediate closure of all re-education camps and the abolition of offences of opinion;

5. Reminds the Vietnamese authorities that freedom of opinion and the press are necessary conditions for the economic and social development of Vietnam and that independent press organs must be authorized;

6. Calls on the Government of Vietnam to initiate a process of political and economic reform geared to instituting the genuine rule of law and an open economy from which all citizens of Vietnam can benefit;

7. Reminds the Vietnamese authorities that opposition to and criticism of government policy form part of fundamental individual liberties and therefore cannot under any circumstances be regarded as offences;

8. Calls on the Government of Vietnam to abolish immediately Decree CP/31 and all laws subordinating fundamental freedoms to the defence of national security;

9. Reminds the Vietnamese authorities that the cooperation agreement between the EU and Vietnam is based on respect for human rights and democracy;

10. Calls on the Vietnamese authorities to initiate immediately a reform of the judicial system such as to guarantee neutrality, transparency and respect for fundamental individual rights;

11. Calls on the Council and Commission to make respect for and promotion of human rights the priority in their relations with the Government of Vietnam;

12. Calls on the Government of Vietnam to guarantee completefreedom to the various religious faiths;

13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam