Australia-Vietnam 2017 Human Rights Dialogue: Civil Society Consultation
The Law Council of Australia thanks the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for the opportunity to engage in the Civil Society Consultation on 12 July 2017, and to provide a written submission to the Australian delegation on matters of interest and concern ahead of the 14th Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue (the Dialogue).
The Law Council considers that such opportunities allow the Australian Government to seek valuable feedback from civil society. It hopes that the concerns of the Law Council and other organisations are raised at the Dialogue and through the Australian Government’s ongoing human rights discussions with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The Law Council acknowledges the assistance of its National Human Rights Committee and its International Human Rights Committee of the International Law Section in the preparation of this submission. The Law Council’s comments in this submission will focus on Vietnam’s legal framework, access to justice, the death penalty, human trafficking, and international law. This submission addresses the developments since the Law Council’s last submission, provided to DFAT on 20 June 2016.
The Law Council has recently adopted a Policy Statement on Human Rights and the Legal Profession: Key Principles and Commitments, which provides a framework for ongoing activities of the Law Council in relation to human rights, including international advocacy.
In addition, the Law Council’s Rule of Law Principles support the activities of the Law Council in promoting the rule of law, including defending the legal profession’s interests abroad. These policies inform the Law Council’s approach to this consultation.
You can read the full submission below.