(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the government’s one-month suspension of two Vietnamese newspapers after they ran articles about the poor quality of the new banknotes that were recently put in circulation. Six other newspapers and magazines have also been accused of publishing “false information” and face possible sanctions. “Vietnam rose a few places in our […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the government’s one-month suspension of two Vietnamese newspapers after they ran articles about the poor quality of the new banknotes that were recently put in circulation. Six other newspapers and magazines have also been accused of publishing “false information” and face possible sanctions.
“Vietnam rose a few places in our 2006 press freedom ranking but this kind of authoritarian decision could make it fall again next year,” RSF said. “The government has decided that the currency is a matter of secrecy and it has punished two small newspapers in order to put the others on their guard. We call on the government to rescind these measures and to let the press work freely.”
The one-month closures were imposed on 20 October 2006 by the Culture and Information Ministry on the weekly “Thoi Dai” (“Time”), published by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations, and the biweekly “Cong Ly” (“Justice”), published by the People’s Supreme Court. Both wrote about the poor quality of the new polymer banknotes.
The new banknotes are a sensitive subject. The central bank governor’s son was the intermediary between the polymer paste supplier and the manufacturer of the notes. His role in the bank note fiasco is controversial as he is thought to be indirectly responsible for the poor quality of the notes. The press has also reported that they are being forged in China, although they were supposed to be impossible to forge.
The closures follow the adoption of a decree in July that allows administrative measures to be taken against anyone publishing “secrets” or “harmful” information. The communist government did not appreciate the media’s active role in exposing a scandal about embezzlement of international funds within the Transport Ministry.
The Culture and Information Ministry has also banned the business magazine “Kinh Doanh Va San Pham” (“Business and Products”) for publishing articles advising men how to improve their sexual performance. The Associated Press news agency said the authorities were also considering withdrawing the press accreditation of the magazine’s editors and reporters. The deputy minister said it had not adhered to its established editorial line.
