H.R.1646

September 30, 2002 Became Public Law No.: 107^th - 228

Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)

SEC. 702. ANNUAL REPORTS ON UNITED STATES-VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE MEETINGS.

Not later than December 31 of each year or 60 days after the second United States-Vietnam human rights dialogue meeting held in a calendar year, whichever is earlier, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report covering the issues discussed at the previous two meetings and describing to what extent the Government of Vietnam has made progress during the calendar year toward achieving the following objectives:

 (1) Improving the Government of Vietnam's commercial and criminal codes to bring them into conformity with international standards, including the repeal of the Government of Vietnam's administrative detention decree (Directive 31/CP).

(2) Releasing political and religious activists who have been imprisoned or otherwise detained by the Government of Vietnam, and ceasing surveillance and harassment of those who have been released.  

(3) Ending official restrictions on religious activity, including implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance.

(4) Promoting freedom for the press, including freedom of movement of members of the Vietnamese and foreign press.

(5) Improving prison conditions and providing transparency in the penal system of Vietnam , including implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

(6) Respecting the basic rights of indigenous minority groups, especially in the central and northern highlands of Vietnam .

(7) Respecting the basic rights of workers, including working with the International Labor Organization to improve mechanisms for promoting such rights.

(8) Cooperating with requests by the United States to obtain full and free access to persons who may be eligible for admission to the United States as refugees or immigrants, and allowing such persons to leave Vietnam without being subjected to extortion or other corrupt practices.