On the occasion of To Lam’s visit to the United States to attend the launch meeting of the Board of Peace, Viet Tan calls on governments not to legitimize the authoritarian consolidation underway in Vietnam.
The Communist Party of Vietnam officially opens its 14th National Congress today. In the run up to the conclave, To Lam declared that the Congress will determine the country’s direction for the next five years. Thus, the “true owners of the nation” have been completely sidelined—subject to intimidation, monitoring and imprisonment. An atmosphere of fear once again blankets the country, just as it has during previous Party congresses.
I speak to you today not only as a policy observer, but as someone who deeply cares about the future of my country. Vietnam is home to over 100 million people — hardworking, resilient, and full of potential. Yet we live under a system where one party has controlled every aspect of our political and social life for more than five decades.
Viet Tan strongly denounces the unjust and excessive 11-year prison sentence handed down to activist Trinh Ba Phuong, who is already serving a 10-year term under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Penal Code for “propaganda against the state.”
It’s an honor for me to be at the Canadian Parliament today to discuss crucial issues: human rights in Vietnam, the rule of law, and perspectives for Canada and Vietnam.
Transnational repression is a new scourge affecting many countries, and sadly, Canada has also witnessed an unprecedented case with the assassination of Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.
The Vietnamese government stepped up its online censorship as To Lam — general secretary and president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam — traveled to New York from September 21 to
25, 2024 to address the United Nations Summit of the Future. The former Minister of Public Security also met with world leaders, business groups, and students and faculty at Columbia
University, often stressing the importance of adhering to international law to maintain peace and stability.
A coalition of international human rights organizations has today issued an urgent open letter calling for targeted sanctions against General To Lam, the President of Vietnam and former Minister of Public Security.
Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, passed away on the afternoon of July 19, 2024. Having held the highest positions in Communist Vietnam, Trong bears the greatest responsibility for the systemic repression of activists and religious and ethnic groups.
