Vietnam arrests official engaged in UN talks on labour reform

HANOI — Police in Vietnam have arrested a senior official involved in talks with international organisations on labour reforms, state media said on Thursday (May 9), adding that the action was linked to disclosure of classified information.

The detention of Nguyen Van Binh follows months of arrests of prominent experts and activists, in what some diplomats see as a further crackdown on civil society amid a major reshuffle of top political leaders in the Communist-ruled country.

As director general of the labour ministry's legal affairs department, Binh, 51, was charged with overseeing reforms to labour law on which he worked closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the ministry said on its website.

Reuters could not immediately reach Binh or his family for comment.

The ILO and Vietnam's labour ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment on Binh's arrest.

Binh was detained on charges of intentionally revealing state secrets, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said, adding that police were widening their investigation.

His efforts with the ILO and international partners aimed at possible ratification of Convention 87 on labour and trade union rights. If passed, the measure would guarantee workers the right to form independent trade unions without prior authorisation.

Vietnam is required to ratify the convention under a free trade deal with the European Union and pacts with Pacific trade partners, but the approval process has been long delayed.

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