Vietnam has a dismal rights record and has come under fire for a brutal crackdown against critics in the past two years that has seen scores jailed. ADVERTISEMENTEarlier this week it barred two rights campaigners from entering the country for the World Economic Forum attended by regional leaders— many of whom face criticism for their own rights record at home. I only supported and praised democracy, human rights and environmental protection in Vietnam,” Truc said in court, according to his attorney Nguyen Van Mieng. Truc is the latest Brotherhood for Democracy member jailed in Vietnam, where political parties, public protests and independent media are all banned. Representatives from Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) were set to attend the meeting but were denied entry by Vietnam, which does not allow international rights groups to have offices in the country.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 12, 2018 12:54 UTC