With its consistent lines and policies, Vietnam has been ensuring the people’s right to freedom of belief and religion in an increasingly substantive way. However, hostile forces have been distorting and denying Vietnam’s achievements. Hence, identifying and combating hostile forces’ wrong arguments are of critical importance to maintaining political - social stability, strengthening national great unity, and cementing the people’s faith in our Party and State.

Belief and religion have long been an important element in humankind’s mental life. In recent years, religion has been seen as a resource for social construction and development. The right to freedom of belief and religion has, therefore, been regarded as one of the most fundamental rights of human race, stipulated in various international conventions and constitutions of many countries as well.

Party General Secretary To Lam meets with Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin in September 2024 (photo: VNA)

In Vietnam, “respect for freedom of belief and religion” represents a consistent policy of our Party and State; it is guaranteed by a legal system and reflected in the people’s diverse, harmonious belief and religion life. However, the issue of religion has always been at the forefront of hostile force’s “peaceful evolution” strategy. Taking advantage of the sensitivity of belief and religion in the people’s mental life, hostile forces have spread many wrong arguments, such as “the State of Vietnam suppresses religion”, “religious dignitaries and followers are restricted to practising their faith”, “religion in Vietnam is politicised and lacks genuine freedom”. Some hostile organisations and individuals have circulated biased human rights reports accusing Vietnam of violating the right to freedom of belief and freedom. Politically, those allegations aim to sow division between the Party, State, and religious communities, undermine our great national unity, and create pretexts for interference in Vietnam’s internal affairs. Those tactics are part of a broader, long-term strategy by hostile forces to promote “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” in our country, destabilise Vietnam’s political system, and gradually abolish our Party’s leadership role. Therefore, identifying and combating distortions and denials of the right to freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam are of importance to maintaining political - social stability and creating the most favourable condition for all Vietnamese citizens to enjoy their legitimate right to freedom of belief and freedom.

The allegation that “Vietnam violates international standards concerning freedom of belief and religion” is completely groundless. It must be affirmed that the right to freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam is entirely appropriate to international norms. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 1966) both stipulate that everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion; however, the exercise of this right may be subject to limitations prescribed by law to safeguard public order, health, morality, and the rights and freedoms of other persons. This principle is fully reflected in the 2013 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: “Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, and has the right to follow any religion or to follow no religion. All religions are equal before the law. The State shall respect and protect the freedom of belief and religion” (Article 24).

The Law on Belief and Religion (2016) - the first specialised law of Vietnam on religion - concretises the rights and obligations of religious followers, dignitaries, and organisations. The Law not only affirms the right to freedom of belief and religion, but also specifies procedures for the registration and recognition of religious organisations, religious operations, construction of places of worship, publication of scriptures, and religious dignitary training. At the same time, Article 5 of the Law prohibits discriminating against people for religious reasons, coercing, enticing, or obstructing people to practise or not to practise a religion or belief, and insulting belief or religion; religious operations shall not violate national defence, security, and sovereignty, social order and safety, environment, social ethics, and other people’s life, health, assets, honour, and dignity. Practice of belief and religion shall not hinder a citizen from exercising their rights and obligations, or sow division among the people, among religions, between religious and irreligious people, and among the followers of different beliefs or religions. The exploitation of religious activities to seek gains is also banned.

A religious festival of Caodaism (photo: nhiepanhdong.vn)

It could be said that Vietnam has sufficient legal frameworks for freedom of religion based on its approaches to international law and its political, cultural, social, and historical realities. Viewpoints and guidelines on religion in general, freedom of belief and religion in particular have been stipulated in the Constitution and consistently reflected in the Government’s perfection of legal frameworks. No religion could exist outside the law; no single country lacks mechanisms for managing activities of religious organisations. Guidelines and policies on freedom of religion in Vietnam aim to create a healthy environment for religious practice and meet the legitimate spiritual needs of people from all walks of life.

Any assessments or conclusions based only on unverified reports by some organisations or individuals are subjective, inaccurate, incomplete, and fail to respect the truth about the situation of freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam. 

The argument that “the State of Vietnam suppresses religion” is one of the most common and blatant distortions. In fact, every citizen in Vietnam has the right to freely choose a belief or religion, or to follow no religion. Religious practices, monasticism, missionary work, and religious festivals are all guaranteed by the law, as long as they are organised in compliance with the law. If violations by some individuals have been handled, it is because they have exploited religion as a cover for carrying out reactionary political operations, undermining national unity, opposing the government, or fostering fraud, superstition, or illegal trading. Such acts run contrary to the fine nature of religion. No country in the world tolerates the abuse of religion to destabilise public security and order; therefore, handling those violations is lawful and reasonable.

There is a fact that by 2023, Vietnam had over 27 million religious followers, accounting for more than 27% of its population; it had more than 54,000 religious dignitaries, nearly 30,000 places of worship, and 66 training institutions for dignitaries with about 10,000 trainees enrolled. On a yearly basis, the Religious Publishing House publishes hundreds of types of religious scriptures. Most religious organisations have their own websites, and the Religious Publishing House has assisted religions in printing millions of copies in different languages. Besides, freedom of religion for ethnic minorities has always been ensured. Many Catholic and Protestant churches have been repaired and upgraded to become cultural and spiritual places for religious communities.

Between 2021 and 2023 alone, regarding Protestantism, the State approved 170 religious groups and 6 affiliated religious organisations in the northern mountainous region as well as 11 affiliated organisations originating from previously registered congregations in five provinces of the Central Highlands. Religious activities have been taking place vibrantly, diversely; Vesak, Christmas, Ramadan for Muslims, and Cao Dai and Hoa Hao festivals are solemnly organised with the participation of a large number of followers and with security support from authorities. These activities have been widely covered in the media across various platforms. Such realities are more than sufficient to prove that the claim of “suppression of religion” is nothing but a fabrication aimed at slandering the State of Vietnam.

The allegation that “religion in Vietnam is politicised” is completely false. Hostile forces often deliberately accuse the State of Vietnam of “politicising religion” or “interfering in the internal affairs of religions”. This is a dangerous, deliberate narrative, aimed at denying the sound, progressive policies of our Party and State on religion, sowing doubts, and creating division between religious and irreligious people as well as between religious followers and authorities.

In reality, throughout the revolutionary leadership process, the Party and State of Vietnam have consistently affirmed the standpoint of “respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion”. This is one of the fundamental and legitimate rights of the people, specified in the Constitution and other laws. Not only in the political principles, but also within the highest legal framework, citizens’ right to freedom of religion is always guaranteed. All religions in Vietnam are equal before the law, free from discrimination or imposition, and are never allowed to be exploited for any private political purposes.

It is necessary to clearly understand that state management of religion is not the same as “politicising religion”. State management here is an essential requirement in a rule-of-law society, aimed at ensuring that religion and belief activities take place in accordance with the law and the interests of the nation and religious communities. Thanks to state management, the right to freedom of belief and religion can be exercised fairly, sustainably, and cannot be abused to create division or social instability. On the contrary, it is some external forces that have truly “politicised religion”. Under the guise of “protecting freedom of religion”, they attempt to intervene crudely in Vietnam’s internal affairs, inciting some extremist dignitaries, and lure followers into illegal activities, such as protests to cause disorder and even opposition to the State. The nature of this issue does not lie in religion; it is a political ploy, exploiting religion as a tool to exert pressure and realise the “peaceful evolution” strategy against Vietnam. In other words, while the State of Vietnam consistently adopts sound policies on religion towards stability, harmony, and development, it is the hostile individuals themselves who turn religion into a political instrument. That is what the people must remain vigilant against and resolutely combat.

The narrative that “Vietnam has freedom of religion, but religions themselves are not free” is a cunning sophistry. With this claim, hostile forces do not completely deny the existence of religious activities in Vietnam, but they spread suspicion that “freedom is only superficial”, or that “the right to belief is covertly restricted”. To substantiate this false argument, they often cite certain so-called “new religions” or “heresies” which were banned, and then they come to the conclusion that “Vietnam does not have genuine freedom of religion”. This is a deliberate distortion as freedom of religion does not mean freedom to exploit religion to go against the law, moral standards, and the interests of the community.

In practice, heretical groups, such as “World mission society Church of God” and “Supreme Master Ching Hai” have been strongly condemned by public opinion for their unscientific, unethical acts, such as spreading superstition, breaking family ties, undermining humanistic values, and even causing harm to the health and lives of gullible citizens. Preventing and handling such activities is not a restriction of freedom, but rather a protection of the legitimate right to freedom of belief and religion of the community, ensuring that genuine religions can operate normally, lawfully, and within a safe, healthy environment.

It should be emphasised that this is a common principle applied in almost all countries around the world, including those often considered “models of democracy”. In other words, religious freedom in Vietnam means freedom within the framework of law, inseparable from civic responsibility and the common interests of society. This is the true, healthy form of freedom, not an “unlimited freedom” that allows anyone to exploit religion for personal gains, subversion, or the sowing of harmful seeds in society.

The right to freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam is not only affirmed in law, but also vividly realised in social life. This is the outcome of our Party and State’s consistent policies in accordance with national cultural tradition and international norms. Any distortions or denials of this right are just political tactics aimed at fostering foreign intervention, destroying political - social stability, undermining great national unity, and ultimately abolishing socialism in Vietnam. Therefore, combating these wrongful viewpoints is the responsibility of the entire political system and every citizen to contribute to building an increasingly prosperous, civilised, and happy nation towards socialism.

BUI LE QUYEN, PhD

Academy of Journalism and Communication