Vietnamese Labor Ministry Official Detained Amid Allegations of State Secrets Disclosure

Key Takeaway

• Nguyen Van Binh, a Vietnamese labor ministry official involved in drafting labor law reforms, was detained over allegations of disclosing state secrets.
• Binh's work focused on enhancing workers' rights and trade union independence, aligning with international labor reform efforts.
• His arrest is part of Vietnam's broader anti-corruption campaign amid criticism from the US and UN for handling activists under legal violations.

Official Detained Amid Anti-Corruption Campaign

Nguyen Van Binh, the head of the legal affairs department at Vietnam's labor ministry, has been detained by Hanoi police on allegations of deliberately disclosing state secrets, as stated on the police website. The specifics of the allegations have not been disclosed, and the investigation into Binh's actions is ongoing. Attempts to reach representatives for Binh were unsuccessful, and inquiries to the ministry remained unanswered. Following his detention, Binh's profile was removed from the ministry's website, indicating a swift response to the allegations against him.

Labor Law Reforms and International Attention

Before his detention, Binh was involved in drafting proposals to amend Vietnam's labor law, focusing on enhancing workers' rights to organize and engage in collective bargaining. His work, highlighted on the website of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), aimed at introducing significant reforms in the labor sector. Binh's efforts towards labor reforms and advocating for some independence of trade unions were noted in a May 8 posting by Human Rights Watch. This comes at a time when Vietnam's labor unions, traditionally overseen by the Fatherland Front and led by the Communist Party, face scrutiny for their lack of independence.

Government's Stance on Activism and Legal Violations

The arrest of Nguyen Van Binh occurs amidst a broader anti-corruption drive within the country, which has also seen the resignations of high-level government officials. The Vietnamese government has faced criticism from international bodies such as the US and the United Nations for its treatment of environmentalists and activists, often under the guise of tax evasion charges. However, Vietnam has consistently denied allegations of jailing individuals for their activism, asserting that detentions are based on violations of the law. During a press briefing in Hanoi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson Pham Thu Hang referred to local media reports about Binh's detention but did not provide further details on his work or the nature of the allegations.