Formation of the VNHRN
Toward the end of the 1990s, the increasing repression of dissidents by the Vietnamese authorities at home and the collapse of many communist dictatorial regimes in Eastern Europe, encouraged many Vietnamese human rights activists worldwide to come together for collective actions. As a result, on November 1, 1997, a founding convention was held in Santa Ana, California, gathering a consortium of activists representing various human rights organizations worldwide. After two days of deliberation, they decided to establish the Vietnam Human Rights Network. A By-laws was adopted to serve as the basis for the organization’s operation. By 2000 the VNHRN obtained itsOrganization
As a network, participating organizations are entirely equal in their standing and votes. The only condition is that they work together on joint projects while retaining their identity as individual organizations with their activities. For coordination purposes, VNHRN consists of three central bodies: the Executive Committee, The Supervisory Board, and the Advisory Board.Typical Activities
Three main goals of VNHRN’s activities are: Information and Education * Producing Human Rights Newsletter. * Establishing a website on the Internet to rapidly disseminate human rights news and developments * Translating and publishing thThe Vietnam Human Rights Awards
Since 2002, the Vietnam Human Rights Network has presented annual Awards to selected human rights activists and organizations in Vietnam who have made their mark in the inexorable march towards freedom, human rights, and democracy of the Vietnamese people. It is also an opportunity for Vietnamese people in the Diaspora to express their solidarity with and support those involved in the relentless fighting for fundamental rights and justice for Vietnamese people. The prize-awarding ceremony was held every year in different locations worldwide on International Human Rights Day (December 10). After over two decades of existence, the Vietnam Human Rights Awards have received positive marks from both inside and outside of Vietnam, despite sharp criticism by the Vietnamese authorities. List of VNHRA RecipientsAnnual Report of the VNHRN
The Vietnam Human Rights Network has published its annual reports on Human Rights in Vietnam as of 2009. The reports outline recent human rights developments in Vietnam and egregious human rights violations by the government of Vietnam against its citizens' fundamental rights. As cooperative works of many human rights activists in Vietnam and in the Diaspora, those annual reports give a truthful picture of the human rights situation in Vietnam. Original stories are cross-checked and compared with related sources, such as social networks (Facebook, individual blogs, Twitter, etc.), international news or research organizations, and even Vietnamese government news sources and data. The reports include several chapters corresponding to the fundamental human rights set forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Recommendations include concrete and feasible propositions sent to the Vietnam government. The reports also include appendices listing prisoners of conscience currently held in jail.Award
On May 27, 2018, The Visual Artists GuilCriticism
The existence and activities of VNHRN have drawn fierce criticism from the Vietnamese authorities as "a reactionary organization of Vietnamese in exile... hiding behind the shield of 'democracy and human rights' to oppose the Vietnamese government through slander and distortions."References
{{Authority control Human rights organizations based in the United States Organizations based in California Human rights in Vietnam