RSF was established in 1985 in France on the principle of protecting press freedom around the world, fighting press censorship, and creating pressure to free detained journalists. The US-based CPJ was formed in 1981 with the initial goal of promoting freedom of speech and defending it globally by protecting the rights of journalists.

RSF issues its annual “Press freedom index” which ranks countries’ press freedom. CPJ also issues an annual report on suppression of journalists around the world. In fact, these two unfriendly organizations have regularly cooked up stories to slander Vietnam’s press freedom to serve political motives.

Repeated distorted information

In the “World Press Freedom Index 2014”, RSF groundlessly concluded that Vietnam has increased information suppression and censorship, while the CPJ carelessly said that Vietnam has imposed the strictest censorship policy on communications in Asia. It has distorted Vietnam’s decree 72 on Internet management, supply, and usage, saying that the decree restricts freedom of speech and controls blogs and Internet usage. These are not new arguments. RSF and CPJ included them in their previous annual reports.  They are false accusations which ignore the reality of press freedom, democracy, and human rights in Vietnam.

Undeniable freedom of speech and press in Vietnam  

Functional agencies report that as of March, 2013, Vietnam had 812 press agencies publishing 1,084 publications. Nearly 17,000 journalists were given working licenses. Vietnam has 1 news agency, 67 radio and television stations, 101 TV channels, 78 radio channels, 74 online newspapers and magazines, 336 social networks, and 1,174 licensed web portals.

Radio the Voice of Vietnam broadcasts to 99.5% of Vietnam’s territory and to many foreign countries. More than 90% of Vietnamese households can watch VTV programs. Vietnamese audiences can tune in 75 foreign TV channels including CNN, BBC, TV5, NHK, DW, Australia Network, KBS, and Bloomberg. 20 foreign press organizations have bureaus in Vietnam. Newspapers and magazines in many languages are available. Vietnam has 64 publishing houses which produce hundreds of millions of publications annually. With more than 31.3 million internet users, accounting for 35.58% of its population, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) ranks Vietnam 3^rd in Southeast Asia and 8^th in Asia in total Internet users. The development of mass media including newspapers, TV, radio, and the Internet answers public demand for information. They are open forums for people and organizations to express their opinions, even criticize state policies, improve democracy, and promote human rights.

In a society where human rights is guaranteed and promoted by the state, Vietnam has obtained undeniable achievements in freedom of press and speech.

RSF and the CPJ have to respect the rights of the Vietnamese nation

Around the world, freedom of speech and press is an important factor in national stability and development and direct expression of a country’s human rights policy. Vietnam has always complied with its commitments to defend human rights in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Vietnam’s outstanding results in human rights were acknowledged when it was elected a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term. Vietnam successfully presented its national report under the Universal Period Review at the 2^nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. RSF and CPJ ignore these facts and continue to claim that Vietnam has no freedom of speech and press. They slander the Vietnamese state by saying it violates freedom of speech and press and intervenes in Vietnam’s internal affairs and its right to self-determination, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights regulation states that all nations have the right to self-determination. At present, Vietnam has obtained human rights achievements for stronger global integration.