Reporter Sans Frontieres
5, rue Geoffroy Marie, 75009 Paris - France
PRESS FREEDOM ALERT
July 15, 1999
Publication of a Newspaper Refused in Vietnam
In a letter sent today to the general secretary of the Vietnamese communist party, Le Kha Phieu, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) protested the refusal to allow publication of a newspaper to a leading dissident, retired General Tran Do. RSF urged Vietnam leader to ensure that "independent newspapers may be published without any restraint and that General Tran Do may obtain authorization for his newspaper". The organization argued that "this decision constitutes a violation of the right to press freedom", as guaranteed by the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Vietnam has ratified.
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His Excellency Le Kha Phieu
General Secretary
Vietnamese Communist Party
Hanoi, Vietnam
Paris, July 15, 1999
Your Excellency,
Reporters Sans Frontieres, an independent organization for the defense of press freedom worldwide, wishes to protest at a refusal to allow publication of a newspaper.
We learned on 12 July that a leading dissident, retired General Tran Do, was refused permission to publish a newspaper by the ministry of culture and information. This decision constitutes a violation of the right to press freedom, as guaranteed by the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Vietnam has ratified.
Therefore, our organization urges you to ensure that independent newspapers may be published without any restraint and that General Tran Do may obtain authorization for his newspaper.
We thank you for your attention and would welcome your comments.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed)
Robert Menard
General Secretary