JAKARTA — During his upcoming visit to Vietnam, US President Barack Obama should make that country’s dismal record on human rights and democracy central to discussions with government officials and emphasize the need for substantive progress on these issues before further cooperation can proceed, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today.

The collective of regional lawmakers urged President Obama to call on Vietnamese leaders to free prisoners of conscience, cease harassment and persecution of human rights defenders, remove restrictions on independent civic and religious groups, and allow for genuine freedom of expression, association, and assembly. They also urged Mr. Obama to make any agreements with the Vietnamese government, including a decision to lift a longstanding arms embargo, contingent upon evidence of sustainable improvements in these areas.

“It’s clear that trade and security cooperation with the Vietnamese government will be on the President’s mind when he arrives in Hanoi on Monday. But President Obama must not forget about the Vietnamese people and their aspirations for a government that respects their rights and promotes their interests,” said APHR Chairperson Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian Parliament.

“Flowery words and diplomatic overtures can’t paper over the fact that Vietnam remains one of the most repressive states in our region, where ruling authorities severely restrict fundamental freedoms, and independent civil society groups and human rights defenders face brutal persecution. If President Obama wants to promote a partnership with Vietnam that benefits both countries in the long term, he must stand on the side of democracy and human rights,” Santiago added.

President Obama will begin his three-day visit to Vietnam the day after the country formally holds parliamentary elections. Over 100 independent candidates were excluded from running for seats in the National Assembly during a party selection process earlier this year, despite the Vietnamese constitution’s guarantee that any citizen is allowed to stand for election. ASEAN MPs urged President Obama to use the timing of his visit to raise the issue of free and fair elections with his Vietnamese hosts.

“Sunday’s so-called ‘election’ lacks any pretense of offering a real choice to the Vietnamese people; it cannot by any measure be considered open or democratic. President Obama should make a strong call for free and fair elections in Vietnam, as he has rightly done for other countries in our region, including Myanmar,” said APHR Vice Chair Eva Kusuma Sundari, a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives.

Parliamentarians also raised concerns about Vietnamese authorities’ recent acceleration of their crackdown on activists, bloggers, lawyers, and members of independent civil society groups and religious associations.

MPs urged the release of prominent bloggers, including Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, who were convicted in March 2016 under Article 258 of Vietnam’s Penal Code for allegedly “abusing rights to democracy and freedom to infringe upon the interests of the state.” They also called for a thorough investigation into the alleged torture of Tran Thi Hong, a member of the independent organization Vietnamese Women for Human Rights (VNWHR) and wife of prisoner of conscience Lutheran Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh.

Recent moves to crack down on peaceful demonstrations, which have sprung up around the country calling for transparency and accountability surrounding mass fish deaths off the coast of Ha Tinh province, are also a significant concern, APHR said. Police have used excessive force to break up protests in multiple cities over the past several weeks, and authorities have also blocked Facebook and other social media platforms in an apparent effort to stem the spread of demonstrations.

“These cases demonstrate a pattern of action by the Vietnamese government that runs counter to its international human rights obligations,” said Charles Santiago.

Vietnam is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which mandates that governments respect freedom of religion, assembly, association, and expression, as well as the right to free elections and fair trials. It is also party to the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT), which outlaws cruel and degrading treatment.

Parliamentarians called for revisions to Vietnam’s Penal Code, which empowers the government to arrest and imprison peaceful critics and has been used as a tool to clamp down on free expression.

“Vietnam must take steps to bring its legal and policy framework into line with international human rights standards. That means releasing political prisoners and scrapping legislative provisions that restrict basic freedoms,” Santiago said.

“Societies benefit from free expression and respect for religious and ideological differences. A Vietnamese public that is fully able to freely express their desires and concerns will strengthen the country, and Vietnam’s leaders must recognize that fact.”