Question Period Note: Human Rights Watch documents extrajudicial harassment in Vietnam

More than 170 activists have been put under house arrest, blocked from traveling and assaulted by agents of the Vietnamese government between 2004 and 2021, according to Human Rights Watch.

• Canada is concerned by reports documenting the extrajudicial harassment and assault of rights activists in Vietnam.
• The Canadian government considers human rights a top priority and continues to be a firm advocate for the protection and promotion of human rights globally and bilaterally with Vietnam.
• Canada continues to have a constructive dialogue with the Government of Vietnam on human rights issues including on issues such as freedom of expression and media freedom.
• On February 10, Canada and the UK jointly awarded the Global Award for Media Freedom to a Vietnamese human rights activist, Ms. Pham Doan Trang, during the Global Conference for Media Freedom.

On Feb 17, 2022, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a 65-page report documenting the Vietnamese government's violations of the right to freedom of movement and other basic rights by subjecting activists, dissidents, human rights defenders, to indefinite house arrest, harassment, and other forms of detention. Between 2004 and 2021, HRW documented the extrajudicial harassment of 170 activists by the Vietnamese government. The tactics employed include holding activists in indefinite house arrest, detention when away from home, and bans on leaving the country under fabricated national security grounds. A one-party state, Vietnam does not tolerate political views different from those of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam and the government.While Canada and Vietnam enjoy positive bilateral relations, Canada is concerned with the human rights situation in Vietnam. To address these concerns, Canada engages with the Government of Vietnam through a constructive dialogue including high-level interactions on broader human rights issues as well as advocacy efforts on behalf of human rights defenders. The recognition of the protection and promotion of human rights was also included in the Comprehensive Partnership established in 2017 between Canada and Vietnam. On Feb 10, 2022, Canada and the United Kingdom announced the recipient of the Global Award for Media Freedom, Ms. Pham Doan Trang, a Vietnamese journalist-turned human rights activist. The aim of the award is to recognize the work of individuals and organizations that actively promote and protect media freedom, including the dissemination of the values of media freedom and human rights on behalf of vulnerable individuals and groups. The award is an important part of Canada's leadership internationally to advance the promotion and protection of media freedoms. Additionally, the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam is a member of the "Group of Four", four embassies that join together to address human rights in Vietnam. The G4 (Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland) also advocates on individual cases, appealing to authorities to release individuals who have been identified as "prisoners of concern" by the United Nations.

None