M-395 Situation in Vietnam

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should ensure that the government of Vietnam has made progress in the protection and promotion of human rights in Vietnam, and especially that it has made progress in: (a) halting all violent oppression of minorities, including the murder of dozens of Hmong Christians, attacks on and plots to seize land of Thai Ha Parish, attacks and torture at Con Dau parish, attacks on Falun Gong practitioners, conviction of the Mennonite Church pastors, and torture of Montagnard Christians; (b) releasing all political and religious prisoners from imprisonment, house arrest, or other forms of detention; (c) respecting the right to freedom of religion for all Vietnam’s diverse religious communities, including the right to participate in religious activities and institutions without interference, harassment, or involvement of the government; (d) restoring estates and properties that have been confiscated from churches and religious communities; (e) respecting the right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association as enshrined in Articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the release of independent journalists, bloggers, and democracy and labour activists; (f) repealing or revising laws, such as articles 79 and 88 of the penal code, that criminalize peaceful dissent, independent media, unsanctioned religious activity, and nonviolent demonstrations and rallies, in accordance with international standards and treaties; (g) allowing Vietnamese nationals free and open access to international refugee programs; (h) respecting the human rights of members of all ethnic and minority groups; (i) addressing the complicity of any official of the government of Vietnam, or any agency wholly or partly owned by the government of Vietnam, engaged in the trafficking in persons and taking all appropriate steps to end any such complicity and hold such official, agency, or entity fully accountable for its conduct; (j) ensuring freedom of information and ceasing the ongoing censure of human rights advocates, lawyers, media, and internet sites that advocate on behalf of those who have been deprived of their freedoms; (k) shutting down the reported one hundred or more abusive forced labor facilities and “education centers” across Vietnam that force detainees into hard labour; (l) halting police brutality and the use of torture against detainees and prisoners; and (m) holding annual talks with the Canadian government and other international partners on human rights in Vietnam.