Slavery – Talk Vietnam

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said Tuesday Britain had failed to protect potential victims of child trafficking in a case dating back to 2009, and breached two articles relating to the prohibition of forced labor and the right to a fair trial. The court ordered Britain to pay 25,000 euros in damages and 20,000 euros for costs and expenses to each of the applicants, who are now in their 20s. The British government has three months to decide whether to appeal the ruling at the ECHR's grand chamber. Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) said in statement that it was "carefully considering" the judgment. "The government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and ensuring that victims are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives," it said. Anti-slavery advocates welcomed the ruling and said it could affect the treatment of victims in other European nations. "It's actually a game changer on the rights of all victims of trafficking to protection," said Parosha Chandran, a barrister who represented one of the two applicants in the case. "This judgment will count for many victims today, tomorrow and in many years to come," she added. In its ruling, the Strasbourg-based court outlined how the two Vietnamese applicants - referred to as V.C.L. and A.N. - were discovered working on cannabis farms in Britain in 2009, and charged with drugs offenses to which they pleaded guilty. Following their conviction, the two teenagers were detained in young offenders' institutions before later being recognized by British authorities as victims of human trafficking. However, prosecutors ultimately concluded that they had not been trafficked and Britain's Court of Appeal ruled that the decision to prosecute them had been justified, the ruling said. But the ECHR said prosecutors did not give clear reasons to challenge the classification of the two Vietnamese as victims of trafficking, and that the Court of …

The Hanoitimes - Hanoi hopes trade link will support its export-driven economy while London is trying to secure trade deals ahead of the transition period after Brexit. Vietnam and the UK have agreed refresh and strengthen their strategic partnership and set the framework for forging ahead in the next decade. Vietnam and the UK look to forge ahead the partnership in the next decade. Photo: MOFA The two sides adopted a joint declaration at a meeting between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on September 30 during the British diplomat’s visit to Hanoi, the first by a European politician to Vietnam since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The declaration, which marks a milestone of 10 years of the Vietnam-UK Strategic Partnership, outlines the UK and Vietnam’s commitment to further strengthening the bilateral partnership. It includes (1) deepening bilateral trade and investment, and pursuing more open trade through global and regional economic integration; (2) co-operating to support sustainable economic growth, and to combat the urgent challenges presented by climate change; (3) working together on shared security challenges through peace-keeping operations, military healthcare and training and maritime security; (4) enhancing ties in education, vocational training, higher education, particularly in the field of science and technology; (5) enhancing bilateral cooperation in defense and security and to combat serious and organized crime; (6) promoting people-to-people links, equal rights, including promoting gender equality and tackling modern slavery; and (7) committing to a closer coordination through multilateral fora, including the United Nations and within the framework of ASEAN. Trade deal dominates the visit To prepare for partnership in the next 10 years, the two sides highlighted the importance of a bilateral trade agreement that dominates …

Europe’s rights court orders UK to compensate Vietnamese trafficking victims

Vietnam, UK set upward trajectory for next 10 years