Vietnam Back on UN Human Rights Council Amid Khmer-Krom Rights Abuses

 

UNPO | October 17, 2025 

The Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) express concern following Vietnam’s re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term on October 14, 2025. Vietnam secured 180 votes, the highest in the Asia-Pacific group, just days after issuing a response to UN Special Rapporteurs that categorically denies well-documented human rights violations against the Khmer-Krom Indigenous people.

This timing raises fundamental questions about the credibility and effectiveness of the Human Rights Council when states facing serious allegations of systematic rights violations can secure membership while simultaneously refusing to address specific, documented cases brought to their attention by UN mechanisms.

On October 7, 2025, Vietnam responded to UN Joint Communication AL VNM 5/2025, which detailed 17 named cases of Khmer-Krom monks and activists detained or sentenced between 2023 and 2025 for peaceful cultural, religious, and advocacy activities. Vietnam’s reply asserted that “all ethnic groups and religions are equal and respected” and that any arrests were based solely on “criminal conduct”, not ethnicity or religion.

However, the documented evidence tells a different story:

The UN Joint Communication details 17 named cases of Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks and community activists who were detained, prosecuted, or sentenced between 2023 and 2025. Their alleged “crimes” include sharing information about the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, using social media to discuss religious freedom concerns, and peacefully advocating for indigenous and cultural rights. Sentences have ranged from two to six years of imprisonment, while several individuals remain in detention without access to legal counsel.

These prosecutions have relied on vague and overbroad provisions of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, particularly Article 331 (“abusing democratic freedoms”) and Article 380 (“failure to serve a judgment”), charges repeatedly used to criminalize peaceful expression that is explicitly protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a party.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in Opinion No. 30/2025, specifically noted violations of Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR, citing closed-door trials conducted without defense counsel or public access.

Vietnam’s response to the UN communication stated that it “does not use the term ‘indigenous peoples’” because it is “inconsistent with its historical formation.” This position directly contradicts international human rights standards and the assessments of multiple UN Special Rapporteurs on Indigenous Peoples, Freedom of Religion or Belief, and Minority Issues, who have affirmed that the Khmer-Krom meet the criteria of Indigenous Peoples under international law.

Refusing to recognize the Khmer-Krom as Indigenous does not absolve Vietnam of its obligations under UNDRIP, particularly the rights to protection against forced assimilation (Article 8), cultural heritage preservation (Article 11), and freedom of religion (Article 12).

The full text of KKF’s detailed response to Vietnam’s denial is available at https://khmerkrom.org/responding-to-viet-nams-denial-of-human-rights-violations-against-the-khmer-krom/ .

 

 

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