A recent report published by human rights watchdog, the 88 Project, claims that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has issued a secretive directive aimed at reducing the fundamental rights of civil society. This includes banning trade unions, curtailing freedom of expression, and reducing foreign influence.
The CPV’s secret directive, termed Directive 24, allegedly views every conduct of international commerce and trade as a threat to national security. Implementing regulations to curb the same, the directive has largely remained unbeknownst to the citizens of Vietnam. The 88 Project reports that Directive 24 was issued on July 13, 2023, by the Political Bureau of the Central Party Committee of Vietnam.
The directive’s objective is purported to bolster national security considering Vietnam’s increasing international integration. The Vietnamese government is concerned that such integration could inadvertently encourage independent civil societies and political opposition groups, potentially undermining their position for a one-party rule.
Directive 24, according to the 88 Project’s report, includes nine orders to be executed by state party and organisations. These entail the close scrutiny of foreign trips by officials and Vietnamese citizens traveling for business, prohibiting the creation of political or labour organisations within the country, and promoting a national and cultural value system mirroring the “Vietnamese family value system”.
However, the report suggests that the implementation of Directive 24 violates international laws. Vietnam ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1982, which does allow for the restriction of certain rights to protect a nation’s security. Nevertheless, the report argues, “Vietnam cannot, however, invoke national security to justify any restriction on human rights. There are strict limits on what constitutes a threat to national security under international law.”
This all comes at a time when Vietnam is poised to ratify the Convention 87 of the International Labour Organization, promoting “freedom of association and rights of both employee and employers to join in organization as per their choice without any authorities’ influence.”
The 88 Project is an organisation focused on advocating for free speech and civil liberties in Vietnam. It is active in human rights advocacy and has shared stories of the persecution of Vietnamese political rights activists widely through its database. It was created to bridge the informational gap regarding human rights abuses in Vietnam, particularly for non-Vietnamese speakers.