A/HRC/28/57/Add.1
108. To ensure that restrictions are in conformity with international standards
regulating restrictions on freedom of expression, as set out in article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Special Rapporteur
recommends that Viet Nam:
(a)
Amend accordingly article 11 of the 2006 Law on Cinematography,
article 10 of the 2012 Law on Publishing, article 8 of Decree 113 on art activities and
other similar provisions;
(b)
Abolish prior-censorship bodies and systems in all fields of artistic
creation, in particular cinema and literature;
(c)
Regarding cinema, establish an independent classification body and a
rating system for the sole purpose of informing parents and regulating unsupervised
access by children to particular content;
(d)
Put an end to the system of government control over publishing.
Independent private publishing houses and cinema/visual art studios should be
authorized to operate without impediment and fear of harassment;
(e)
Repeal article 88 of the Criminal Code regarding “conducting
propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam” and release those detained
under this provision, in particular artists;
(f)
Repeal Decision 97 of the Prime Minister, which limits scientific and
technical research to 317 approved topics;
(g)
Abolish the “cultural police”, as well as the surveillance and harassment
of artists and academics. Any decision regulating or prohibiting an artistic activity
should be communicated in writing, with the reasons specified, and be subject to
appeal before a court of law.
Tourism, development policies and the protection and promotion of
cultural heritage
109. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the cultural rights of the
communities concerned be fully taken into consideration in planning and
implementing development programmes.
110. The Government should ensure greater flexibility in its policies and meaningful
consultations with the communities concerned when developing programmes. A
practice needs to be developed that enables people to contribute to the design of
programmes that significantly affect their way of life. When extending support for
housing, for example, the Government should offer them real choices with regard to
the architectural design — traditional, modern or mixed — for building their
personal houses.
111. The Government should ensure the effective participation of relevant groups in
the identification, interpretation, development and management of cultural heritage.
Inventories of tangible and intangible cultural heritage should be community based, in
particular for smaller groups. The Special Rapporteur stresses that the role attributed
to people’s committees at the local level cannot be considered to be proper
consultation of local communities.
112. The new Land Law of 2013 should be implemented in a manner that protects
the collective use of land for communities wishing to retain and develop their
traditional ways of life, which are most often based on agriculture, forest husbandry
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