After the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers released its “Anti-258 Statement”
and handed it to the United Nations Human Rights Council, embassies,
and international non-government organizations in objection to the vague
Article 258 of the Penal Code, a great many Vietnamese citizens, who
have never violated any law, have been denied exit from the nation
without prior governmental permission.
We, the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, realize that:
- The violations of Vietnamese citizens' freedom of movement have taken
place more regularly and blatantly. The ban by the Ministry of Public
Security on citizens exiting the country has been imposed at the
Ministry's discretion without notification or legal authority as
required by law.
- The restrictions by the Ministry of Public Security on citizens'
freedom of movement without court warrant are the acts that should be
subject to investigation on power abuse and that run counter to Article
23 of the Vietnamese Constitution, which stipulates that “A citizen
shall enjoy freedom of movement and of residence within the country; he
can freely travel abroad and return home from abroad in accordance with
the provisions of the law” and that violate Article 13 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to freedom of
movement and residence within the borders of each state. Everyone has
the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his
country.”
We hereby object and request the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to:
- examine, correct and immediately end the ban on exit and to strictly
discipline those in the Ministry of Public Security and the Immigration
Department who abuse their power;
- immediately return the confiscated passports and lift the ban on exit imposed arbitrarily on citizens;
- adopt legal proceedings against and execute court warrants on those
who are alleged by the Ministry of Public Security to have failed to
meet requirements to exit the country. Every citizen has the freedom to
travel and leave the country until there is a court verdict against
them.
- fulfill the commitments to improve human rights in Vietnam made by the
Vietnamese state as a member of the United Nations Human Rights
Council.
The Network of Vietnamese Bloggers calls on Vietnamese civil society
organizations, international human rights organizations and the United
Nations Human Rights Council to support and contribute your voice to end
the restriction on the right to movement of Vietnamese citizens.
The Network of Vietnamese Bloggers and the citizens that are arbitrarily denied exit from the nation
