Religious leaders in Vietnam have expressed serious concern at new regulations laid down by the government 
there which they fear will impose new restrictions on religious practice.
Decree 92, issued by Vietnam’s Communist government in November, went into effect earlier this month and is raising concerns among the nation’s Christians and Buddhists.
The new law sets out conditions for registration of religious activities and practitioners and includes a wide range of limitations on religious practice.
Decree 92, which has already alarmed the Buddhist community, consists of five chapters and 46 articles.
The third rule, regarding “religious organisations” and the fourth, which relates to “religious activities” are the two elements of particular concern to religious believers.
Religious practicioners say the the terminology of the sections are vague and express “ambiguous” concepts, which leave a wide margin for interpretation and could be exploited by officials to launch “generic” accusations.
Under the new law, clergy will be forced to undergo to an “educational program” on the history of Vietnam and its legislation, sponsored and held by representatives of the ministries of Interior, Justice and Education.
Clerics will have to prepare a specific request in the case of foreign travel for conferences and ask authorities’ “permission” in the case of transfers to a different area of the country.
The move came after the vice president of the Vietnamese parliament said that the government would “increasingly model itself on China in matters of religious policies”.
Thich Quang Do, 84, the head of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam who is currently under house arrest, warned that the new decree will “seriously curtail religious freedom” in Vietnam.
A leading international NGO which defends religious freedom, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), has expressed serious concern about the move.
C.S.W.’s advocacy director, Andrew Johnston, said, “Vietnam has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; however, this decree appears to restrict religious activities in a manner not consistent with its obligations under [the covenant]…. C.S.W. urges the government of Vietnam to ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is fully guaranteed by law.”