(VOVworld)- The US Department of State on April 19 released its annual report on human rights around the world including Vietnam. Earlier, on April 18, the European Parliament issued a resolution on human rights in Vietnam saying that Vietnam violates the right to freedom of expression. Speaking to VOV, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Office for Human Rights Nguyen Thanh Son said that these documents are subjective reports based on biased information about human rights in Vietnam.“Their statements are subjective, intervene in Vietnam’s internal affairs, and run counter to the improvement of relations between Vietnam and the US, and the EU. These reports are based on biased information, not on the real situation in Vietnam. They are based on unofficial information channels and individuals who attempt to distort the human rights situation in Vietnam. We, as the Permanent Human Rights Office, which helps the Vietnamese government protect human rights, strongly condemn this distortion of human rights in Vietnam", said Mr. Son.

Son said that Vietnamese law clearly stipulates the protection of the people’s right to freedom of expression, assembly and internet. Vietnam now has more than 700 newspapers, 1,000 online papers and around 31 million Internet users. These figures show that Vietnam doesn’t limit freedom of speech or internet. Some Vietnamese citizens have abused their rights by carrying out activities for their own purposes. Mr. Son said that Vietnamese laws severely punished these people, not for using blogs or the internet, but for violating laws against sabotaging the regime or causing social disorder.