Chuyên mục: Human rights – Nhân quyền

Vietnam’s human rights record is being scrutinized ahead of $15 billion climate deal

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

May 26, 20235:06 AM ET

By Michael Copley NPR

Wealthy countries and investors are planning to give Vietnam billions of dollars to help it transition from coal to renewable energy. But the climate deal has come under fire because of Vietnam’s record on human rights.

STR/AFP via Getty Images

Vietnam is set to get billions of dollars from wealthy countries and investors over the next few years to help it move from coal to renewable energy. The goal is to fight climate change while boosting the country’s economic development.

The money — at least $15.5 billion — was promised after climate activists in Vietnam pushed the government to commit to eliminating or offsetting the country’s carbon dioxide emissions by midcentury. The United States and other backers of the funding plan, known as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), say that kind of advocacy is critical for making sure the benefits of the climate deal are widely shared in Vietnam.

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Vietnam: Assessing Freedom ofthe Press

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

May 9, 2023
Thayer Consultancy
ABN # 65 648 097 123

We request your assessment about the state of freedom of the press in Vietnam.

Q1. Have you ever witnessed some extent of freedom of the press in Vietnam?

ANSWER: I first visited reunified Vietnam in August 1981 and have returned regularly since then. I have given numerous interviews to the Vietnamese print and online media, radio and television. As a result, I have come to know certain journalists quite well. I also appreciate the practical constraints they work under. For example, on sensitive matters like relations with China and disputes in the South China Sea, I am aware that they can quote me as a foreigner when they are not permitted to comment on the same issue. Tiếp tục đọc “Vietnam: Assessing Freedom ofthe Press” →

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Universal Declartion of Human Rights (1948) >>

The Core International Human Rights Instruments and their monitoring bodies

There are 9 core international human rights instruments. Each of these instruments has established a committee of experts to monitor implementation of the treaty provisions by its States parties. Some of the treaties are supplemented by optional protocols dealing with specific concerns whereas the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture establishes a committee of experts.

DateMonitoring Body
ICERDInternational Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination21 Dec 1965CERD
ICCPRInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights16 Dec 1966CCPR
ICESCRInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights16 Dec 1966CESCR
CEDAWConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women18 Dec 1979CEDAW
CATConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment10 Dec 1984CAT
CRCConvention on the Rights of the Child20 Nov 1989CRC
ICMWInternational Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families18 Dec 1990CMW
CPEDInternational Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance20 Dec 2006CED
CRPDConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities13 Dec 2006CRPD
ICESCR – OPOptional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights10 Dec 2008CESCR
ICCPR-OP1Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights16 Dec 1966CCPR
ICCPR-OP2Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty15 Dec 1989CCPR
OP-CEDAWOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women10 Dec 1999CEDAW
OP-CRC-ACOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict25 May 2000CRC
OP-CRC-SCOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography25 May 2000CRC
OP-CRC-ICOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure19 Dec 2011CRC
OP-CATOptional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment18 Dec 2002SPT
OP-CRPDOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities12 Dec 2006CRPD
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) >>

International Covenent on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1967) >>

A law that cancels cancel culture? This country is considering it

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

By Heather Chen, CNN

Published 9:57 PM EDT, Fri May 12, 2023

‘Cancel culture’ or corporate cowardice?

07:49 – Source: CNN — 

Cancel culture, the online trend of calling out people, celebrities, brands and organizations – rightly or wrongly – for perceived social indiscretions or offensive behaviors, has become a polarizing topic of debate.

To some, it’s an important means of social justice and holding powerful figures to account. But to others, it’s often “misused and misdirected” and has become a form of mob rule.

But one country wants to put an end to the deeply contested online phenomena by introducing what legal experts and observers say would be the world’s first law against cancel culture – raising alarm among rights activists who fear that such legal powers could be used to stifle free speech.

Over the past year, Singapore’s government has been “looking at ways to deal with cancel culture,” a spokesperson told CNN – amid what some say is a brewing culture war between gay rights supporters and the religious right following the recent decriminalization of homosexuality in the largely conservative city-state.

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“Tôi xin làm vật vô tri…”

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

TƯỜNG ANH – 12/01/2023 06:51 GMT+7

TTCT – Thừa nhận đa dạng giới là một chuyện, nhưng cùng lúc việc thúc đẩy chuyển giới trong năm qua đã bộc lộ nhiều vấn đề của nó.

Một trong những vấn đề ít được công khai nhưng đã và đang len lỏi tới từng ngóc ngách các hoạt động năm qua trên thế giới: bản dạng giới và chuyển giới. Đấy cũng sẽ là vấn đề tiếp tục đặt ra những thách thức mới cho ứng xử của mỗi chúng ta và mỗi quốc gia.

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Thể thao sẽ phải chia mấy?

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

HUY ĐĂNG – 12/04/2023 10:25 GMT+7

TTCT – Làng thể thao đỉnh cao thế giới đã trải qua hơn 100 năm lịch sử với mô hình hai nội dung nam – nữ. Nhưng đừng ngạc nhiên nếu trong tương lai, một hạng mục thứ ba, thứ tư… sẽ xuất hiện.

Tuần rồi, Liên đoàn Điền kinh thế giới (IAAF) ra một quyết định được coi là đặt dấu chấm hết cho các VĐV chuyển giới. Cụ thể, VĐV chuyển giới đã trải qua giai đoạn dậy thì khi còn là nam giới sẽ không được tham gia thi đấu các giải nữ thuộc hệ thống IAAF nữa. 

Tức để được thi đấu, VĐV chuyển giới phải phẫu thuật, hoặc trải qua những hình thức chuyển giới trước khi khoảng 12 tuổi.

Coco Telfer: “VĐV chuyển giới có những thiệt thòi mà các VĐV nữ khác không trải qua”. Ảnh: Folxhealth.com
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Freedom of expression under threat in Southeast Asia

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Chathamhouse.org

Governments across Southeast Asia have little incentive to protect freedom of expression domestically but steps taken by both domestic and international actors could mean the difference between freedom and its opposite.

All of the countries of Southeast Asia currently sit in the bottom half of the World Press Freedom Index, with four – Brunei, Laos, Singapore and Vietnam – ranked below 150 in the 180-country list, and Myanmar expected to join them following its February 2020 coup.

In these countries, critical coverage is not formally banned but there is no presumption of the right to publish. In Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, for example, a theoretical commitment to freedom of expression is marred by restrictive legislation, intimidation and even the killing of journalists.

The media in Southeast Asia faces two problems – vaguely worded laws open to abuse and politically-motivated prosecutions – and, in the absence of robust independent courts willing to challenge these governments, politicians have been able to pursue personal vendettas against publications and individuals with few limitations.

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Without independent courts, even those countries with rules-based legal systems, will fail to defend dissenting voices against politicians in power.

 

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Understanding Causes for Wrongful Convictions in Vietnam: a View from the Top and the Bottom of the Iceberg

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Abstract

Wrongful convictions have severe consequences and effects on the values, dignity, and self-esteem of the innocent and their beloved ones. While Vietnam is implementing the rule of law to ensure the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights, recent and serious wrongful conviction cases suggest a need to enhance the effectiveness and credibility of criminal justice reform. Using several cases for examples from Vietnam, this study examines two levels of factors that contribute to wrongful convictions: (i) the acknowledged causes (the top of the iceberg) and (ii) the hidden roots (beneath the surface). In addition, we compare the case of Vietnam to the findings from other Asian nations, notably those of East Asia. We conclude that the causes for wrongful convictions are embedded in the criminal justice process and culture, and eradication of wrongful convictions requires careful planning and innovative reforms that address the root causes of the problems. Relevant policy and practical recommendations are offered to deal with the factors leading to wrongful convictions in Vietnam.

Introduction

In recent years, Vietnam’s criminal justice system has been more effective in addressing human rights and responding to transnational crimes and maintaining national security. New legislation in Vietnam’s criminal justice system sets the goals of safeguarding justice and human rights first and foremost, a component of which requires reduction of wrongful convictions. Wrongful convictions have weakened public trust in the criminal justice system, violated human rights, and affected the integrity of the rule of law. Yet, at the domestic level, wrongful convictions are still persistent.

Vietnamese legal scholars have started examining wrongful convictions, particularly after the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) called for judicial reforms in the 2000s (Dao, 2020; Thai, 2020). These scholars have paid little attention, however, to the fundamental reasons that lead to wrongful convictions. While the CPV encouraged the combination of inquisitorial and adversarial models in criminal proceedings, the legal ideology to identify and recognize hidden factors of wrongful convictions has not been seriously considered in the process. In other words, the hidden factors contributing to wrongful convictions are still not reviewed and assessed alongside the surface elements of wrongful convictions in Vietnam.

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Lao động đi làm việc ở nước ngoài phải trả phí bình quân 165 triệu đồng

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Thanh niên – Thu Hằng – 16/08/2022 16:38 GMT+7

Chi phí tuyển dụng trung bình của lao động Việt Nam đi làm việc ở nước ngoài khoảng 165 triệu đồng. Con số này tương đương khoảng 8 tháng lương tại quốc gia tiếp nhận. Đặc biệt, ở một số ngành… chi phí lên đến 200 triệu.

Đây là thông tin được bà Ingrid Christensen, Giám đốc Văn phòng Tổ chức Lao động quốc tế (ILO) tại Việt Nam cho biết, tại Hội thảo “Lao động và chuyên gia Việt Nam đi làm việc ở nước ngoài – Thực trạng và giải pháp” do Ban Kinh tế T.Ư phối hợp với Bộ LĐ-TB-XH và ILO tổ chức ngày 16.8.

Bà Ingrid Christensen, Giám đốc ILO tại Việt Nam
HÀ QUÂN

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Biden Signs Executive Order to Prohibit U.S. Government Use of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security or Has Been Misused by Foreign Actors to Enable Human Rights Abuses

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

MARCH 27, 2023 White House

FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Executive Order to Prohibit U.S. Government Use of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security

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Presidential Directive Will Serve as a Cornerstone Initiative During the Second Summit for Democracy

Today, President Biden signed an Executive Order that prohibits, for the first time, operational use by the United States Government of commercial spyware that poses risks to national security or has been misused by foreign actors to enable human rights abuses around the world.

Commercial spyware – sophisticated and invasive cyber surveillance tools sold by vendors to access electronic devices remotely, extract their content, and manipulate their components, all without the knowledge or consent of the devices’ users – has proliferated in recent years with few controls and high risk of abuse.

The proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing counterintelligence and security risks to the United States, including to the safety and security of U.S. Government personnel and their families. U.S. Government personnel overseas have been targeted by commercial spyware, and untrustworthy commercial vendors and tools can present significant risks to the security and integrity of U.S. Government information and information systems.

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A federal judge spoke at Stanford Law School. Chaos ensued.

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này
March 24, 2023, The New York Times, Good Morning
By David Leonhardt
Stanford University.Ben Margot/Associated Press
A heckler’s veto
Stuart Kyle Duncan — a federal appeals court judge appointed by Donald Trump — visited Stanford Law School this month to give a talk. It didn’t go well.
Students frequently interrupted him with heckling. One protester called for his daughters to be raped, Duncan said. When he asked Stanford administrators to calm the crowd, the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion walked to the lectern and instead began her remarks by criticizing him. “For many people here, your work has caused harm,” she told him.
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2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

US BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR

 MARCH 20, 2023

The annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – the Human Rights Report – cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements. The U.S. Department of State submits reports on all countries receiving assistance and all United Nations member states to the U.S. Congress in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974.

TRANSLATIONS

Preface

For nearly 50 years, the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices have served as a vital resource for governments, researchers, advocacy groups, journalists, and voices of conscience worldwide that work to promote respect for human rights and accountability for injustice.  The individual reports cover 198 countries and territories, providing factual, objective information based on credible reports of the events that occurred throughout 2022.  These reports are meticulously compiled by U.S. Department of State employees in Washington, D.C., and at our overseas missions throughout the world, who collectively spend thousands of hours preparing the reports using credible information from U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, foreign government officials, nongovernmental and international organizations, jurists and legal experts, journalists, academics, human rights defenders, labor activists, and published reports.  We take seriously our responsibility to ensure their accuracy.

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How war crimes prosecutions work

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Zachary B. Wolf

Analysis by Zachary B. Wolf, CNN

Published 2:42 PM EDT, Fri March 17, 2023

After more than a year of international outrage at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and shocking atrocities, there’s an arrest warrant out for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The International Criminal Court on Friday announced charges against Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova relating to an alleged scheme to forcibly deport thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Read CNN’s full report about the charges and the arrest warrant.

And read about the scheme involving Ukrainian children taken to Russia.

Russia rejected the allegations Friday, and a ministry of foreign affairs spokeswoman said the court has “no meaning” in Russia.

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The ICC issued arrest warrants on Friday for Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belov

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Russia scoffs but Putin could stand trial for alleged war crimes, ICC chief prosecutor says

By Caitlin Hu, CNN

Updated 9:03 PM EDT, Fri March 17, 2023

Karim Khan ICC vpx

ICC chief prosecutor reacts to Putin arrest warrant

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor believes Russian President Vladimir Putin could stand trial for alleged crimes committed during Russia’s war in Ukraine, he told CNN on Friday, despite Moscow’s arguments that it is not subject to the court’s decisions.

In an interview with CNN’s Clarissa Ward, Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan pointed to historic trials of Nazi war criminals, former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milošević, and former Liberian leader Charles Taylor, among others.

“All of them were mighty, powerful individuals and yet they found themselves in courtrooms,” he said.

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