Vietnam commits to preventing and punishing all acts related to torture, contributing to the effective implementation of the UN Convention Against Torture in accordance with the country’s real situation, a senior police officer has said.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lt. Gen. Le Quy Vuong made the statement on November 15 - the second working day with the UN Committee Against Torture - to deliver Vietnam’s first national report on the implementation of the convention.

Vuong emphasised the country’s outstanding achievements in the fight against torture and updated information from the time the report was submitted to the committee (December 2017) to now. 

Notably, the Vietnamese Government directed ministries, sectors and localities to carry out the convention nationwide, including the building of a project to disseminate the convention’s contents and Vietnamese laws to the public to raise their awareness.

The country intensified cooperation with foreign partners in this field through the exchange of information and experiences in enforcing the convention as well as measures to prevent torture effectively, and the participation in international conferences and workshops related to torture prevention so as to improve the capacity of Vietnamese officers, particularly policemen, in the implementation of the convention.

Members of the UN Committee Against Torture recommended Vietnam to exert more efforts to perfect its laws and invite special speakers from the UN Human Rights Council.

Jens Modvig, chairperson of the committee, spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts to carry out the convention.

Vuong reaffirmed the country’s strong commitments to respecting and protecting human rights as well as preventing and punishing all violations related to human rights in general and torture in particular.

The convention (also known as the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment) is one of the nine fundamental UN conventions on human rights. It was adopted on December 10, 1984 and became effective on June 26, 1987. Vietnam signed the convention on November 7, 2013 and the National Asembly ratified it on November 28, 2014. On March 17, 2015, it entered into force in the country.

Vietnam is one of the six member countries of the UN Convention against Torture to present its report to the United Nations Committee Against Torture during its 65th session, held from November 12 to December 7 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee against Torture brings together 10 independent experts to oversee the implementation of the convention by member states.

Vietnam’s report provides an overview into Vietnam’s implementation of the convention, its efforts and results in the implementation of legislative, executive and judicial measures and other measures to prevent and punish acts related to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

It also identifies shortcomings and challenges facing Vietnam while carrying out the convention and provides plans for effective implementation.-VNA