Vietnam consistently respects and ensures right to religious freedom (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam pursues a consistent policy ofprotecting and promoting human rights, respecting and ensuring the right toreligious and belief freedom, which is clearly stipulated in the country’sConstitution and laws, and is enforced in reality, deputy spokesperson of theForeign Ministry Doan Khac Viet said.
He made the affirmation at the ministry’s regular pressconference on April 29 in reply to reporters’ question about Vietnam’s reactionto the 2021 report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom which accused Vietnam of violating religious freedom.
According to the deputy spokesperson, an estimated 95 percent ofthe Vietnamese population engage in belief and religious activities, including morethan 25 million followers of different religions (27 percent). Catholics alonenumber more than 7 million and Protestants, over one million.
Viet stressed that the Vietnamese State creates favourableconditions for religious people and organisations to engage in international exchangesand cooperation, adding that the religious life in Vietnam is diverse andlively. Vietnam’s efforts and achievements in ensuring the right to religious andbelief freedom of its people have been recognized widely in the international community,he said.
“Vietnam notes that the 2021 InternationalReligious Freedom Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom had mentioned Vietnam’s efforts and positive developments in ensuring andpromoting the religious and belief life, but the report still made several partialand biased assessments based on inaccurate information on the religioussituation in Vietnam,” the deputy spokesperson said.
He went on to say that in Vietnam, acts that took advantage of the right to religiousfreedom to violate the law are handled in accordance with Vietnamese laws.
He affirmed that Vietnam is willing to discuss with the USissues of mutual concern in the spirit of frankness, openness and mutual respect,thus contributing to promoting the comprehensive partnership between the twocountries./.
