Vietnam’s arrest of reformist labor official could disturb bid for better trade terms with the US
By GRANT PECK
Associated Press
BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Vietnam say they have arrested a senior official of the country’s labor ministry for “deliberately disclosing state secrets.” No details were provided by the police on Thursday but rights activists allege that lawyer Nguyen Van Binh was arrested because he supported the idea of independent trade unions, which the country’s Communist government doesn’t allow. The arrest has alarmed activists who say it’s a sign of continuing repression, previously directed mainly toward bloggers and civil society groups. The arrest could also could hurt Vietnam’s efforts to obtain more favorable trade terms for its exports to the United States, which are currently being reviewed in Washington.
