Vietnam respects right to freedom of religion and belief: Deputy spokesperson
Hanoi (VNA) – As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country with diverse religious and belief life, the Vietnamese State consistently implements a policy of
respecting and guaranteeing a citizen's right to freedom of
religion and belief, and the right to follow or not follow any religion; ensuring
equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief; and
protecting activities of religious organisations by law, stated the Foreign
Ministry’s Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang on May 18.
Hang made the remarks in reply to reporters’
queries about Vietnam’s reaction to the US Department of State’s annual Report on International Religious Freedom on May 15,
2023 and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)’s annual report on international religious freedom in 2023, during the ministry's regular press conference.
"These rights are prescribed
in the Constitution of Vietnam, the Law on Belief and Religion 2016 and related
legal documents; and are guaranteed to be respected in practice," the deputy spokesperson stressed.
Although the reports of the USCIRF and the US Department of State have noted some progress of Vietnam in promoting religious
freedom and cited official information of Vietnamese Government’s agencies,
they have still presented subjective observations based on unverified and
inaccurate information about the actual situation in Vietnam, she said.
“As we have affirmed many times, Vietnam is always
ready to discuss with the US side on issues of mutual concern in the spirit of
frankness, openness and mutual respect on issues in which the two sides still have differences, thus contributing
to promoting the Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership”, Hang stated./.