[JURIST] US President Barack Obama [official profile] delivered a speech [text] in Vietnam Tuesday pressing the government on human rights concerns in the nation. Stating that he was not intending to single any one nation out, Obama commended Vietnam on its progress in recent years in committing “to bringing its laws in line with its new constitution and with international norms.” He then discussed how more could be done and why it was necessary to uphold, what he called, “universal rights.” He discussed how freedom of speech can lead to innovation and freedom of religion can allow “faith groups to serve their communities through schools and hospitals.” He further stated that “upholding these rights is not a threat to stability, but actually reinforces stability and is the foundation of progress” and “the fullest expression of the independence that so many cherish.” During his speech, Obama also touched on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership [JURIST report] will help the Vietnamese economy and strengthen the bond between the US and Vietnam. Obama ended on a note of optimism for the US and Vietnam to work together in the future.

The Vietnamese government has faced criticism from the international community over its human rights policies. In August 2014 the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief reported serious violations [JURIST report] of religious freedom persist in Vietnam. In March of that year the Hanoi Supreme People’s Court sentenced [JURIST report] blogger Oham Viet Dao to 15 months in prison for posting articles criticizing the government. A month earlier the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam upheld [JURIST report] the conviction of US-trained lawyer Le Quoc Quan, a known anti-government activist. In the autumn of 2013 Amnesty International [advocacy website] accused [JURIST report] Vietnamese authorities of using repressive laws against anti-government activists and Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] urged [JURIST report] the National Assembly of Vietnam [government website, in English] to bring the country’s constitution in line with international human rights standards.