AP
The European Parliament is demanding the immediate release in Vietnam of three journalists jailed this month on anti-state charges, calling respect for freedom of expression an essential element of a free trade agreement signed between the EU and Vietnam in 2019.
“Parliament calls on the Vietnamese government to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defenders Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan, as well as all others detained and sentenced in the country for merely exercising their right to freedom of expression,” the European Parliament said in a Jan. 21 statement.
“Respect for human rights constitutes a key foundation of the bilateral relations between Vietnam and the EU and is an essential element of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement,” the Parliament said in a resolution approved by lawmakers with 592 votes in favor, 32 against, and 58 abstentions.