Chapter IV - Organization of the press and journalists

* This translated version is originated from Ministry of Justice and for reference only.

Article 11. Press organizations.

Press organization means an organization performing activities in relation to any type of the press referred to in article 3 of this Law.

Article 12. Parent agencies of the press bodies.

Parent agencies of the press bodies are organizations applying in their own names for press activity permits and directly managing the press bodies.

Parent agencies of the press bodies shall have the following tasks and powers:

1. To determine and direct the materialization of the guiding principles and objectives; the objects of their service and the main scope of distribution; the broadcasting capacity, time, frequencies and range, and the languages used by the press bodies as prescribed in their permits;

2. To direct the press bodies to fulfill their tasks, orientations and operation plans, organize their apparatus and build the contingent of journalists;

3. To appoint, dismiss or demote the heads of their dependent press bodies after consulting with the State management agencies in charge of the press;

4. To inspect the press bodies activities;

5. To create necessary conditions for operation of the press bodies;

6. To be answerable before law within the ambit of their tasks and powers for violations by their dependent press bodies.

Article 13. Head of a press organization.

1. The head of a press organization shall be its general editor (printed press) or general director or director (radio station, television station, unit producing audio and visual programs on current events).

2. The head of a press organization must be a person who has Vietnamese citizenship and a permanent resident address in Vietnam and who has satisfied the political, moral and press professional standards which are regulated by the State.

3. The head of a press organization shall lead and manage the organization in all aspects and ensure observance of its guiding principles and aims and shall be responsible before the head of the press managing body and before the law for all of its activities.

Article 14. Journalists.

Journalists must be persons who have Vietnamese citizenship and a permanent resident address in Vietnam, who have satisfied the political, moral and press professional standards regulated by the State, who are working with, or contributing regularly to, a Vietnamese press organization, and who have been issued with journalist cards.

Article 15. Rights and obligations of journalists.

1. The journalists shall have the following rights:

a/ To carry out journalistic activities on the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; or overseas according to the Government’s stipulations;

b/ To exploit and be provided with information in the journalistic activities in accordance with the provisions of law;

c/ To refuse to compile or to participate in the compilation of the journalistic works in contravention of the provisions of the press legislation;

d/ To enjoy professional training and fostering to raise their journalistic skills; and be entitled to a number of priorities necessary for their journalistic activities according to the Government’s stipulations;

e/ To be protected by law in their professional activities. No one is allowed to threaten or menace the journalists life, infringe upon their honor and dignity, destroy, seize or confiscate their means of operation and/or documents or prevent them from carrying out lawful professional activities.

2. The journalists shall have the following obligations:

a/ To convey true information on domestic and world situation in conformity with the interests of the country and the people; to reflect the people’s opinions and legitimate aspirations, contributing to the exercise of citizens right to freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the press;

b/ To defend the Party’s lines, directions and policies and the State’s laws; to discover and defend positive factors; to prevent and combat erroneous ideas and acts;

c/ To regularly study and train themselves in order to raise the political consciousness, moralities and journalistic skills; to refrain from abusing the journalist’s title to hassle others and commit acts of law violation;

d/ To make corrections or apologies if giving untrue information, making distortion or slanders or infringing upon the prestige of organizations and/or the honor and dignity of individuals;

e/ To be answerable before law and the heads of the press bodies for the contents of their press works as well as for their acts of violating the press legislation.

Article 16. Vietnamese Journalists Association.

The Vietnamese Journalists Association shall have the right and obligation to participate in the establishment, and to contribute to the implementation, of the information - press policy and to protect the rights and legal benefits of journalists.