Debbie Stothard, secretary general of the International Federation for Human Rights speaks to The Associated Press as she arrived at the Sepang International Airport in Speang, Malaysia, on Monday. (AP photo)HANOI: Two human rights officials invited to attend the World Economic Forum on Asean this week in Hanoi were denied entry to Vietnam. Debbie Stothard, secretary general of the International Federation for Human Rights, was turned away on Sunday after landing in the Vietnamese capital, World Economic Forum spokesperson Fon Mathuros said in a statement. Amnesty International said on Monday that Minar Pimple, its senior director of global operations, was also refused an entry visa. The government’s actions undermine an event that depends on a plurality of views, and they are giving Asean a bad name.”The World Economic Forum had been notified by Vietnam that Pimple’s visa request had been denied, Mathuros said by email.

Source: Bangkok Post September 10, 2018 06:33 UTC