Attending the meeting included Mr. Phạm Dũng, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Chairman of the GCRA cum Standing Vice Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the project of law on belief and religion, Vice Chairman of the NA Committee Trịnh Ngọc Thạch, Vice Chairman of the GCRA Bùi Thanh Hà, representatives from the NA’s Council for Ethnic Minorities, Committee on Laws and Committee on Social Affairs, scholars and heads of the GCRA’s departments.

GCRA Chairman Phạm Dũng speaks at the meeting

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman Phạm Dũng stated that the proposed new law on belief and religion aimed to comprehensively improve existing laws on belief and religion so as to institutionalize  guidelines and policies of the Party, the Constitution 2013 on protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for people, including foreigners in Vietnam, ensuring the constitutionality and consistency in the whole legal system.

At the meeting, Vice Chairman Bùi Thanh Hà presented the process of gathering opinions from the NA Standing Committee on the draft law as well as its new contents. This fifth draft law consists of 11 chapters, 11 entries and 68 articles.

During the meeting, the participating delegates discussed and commented on many issues covered in the draft law including the recognition of religious organizations, religious and social activities, religious activities of foreigners, social and charitable activities of religious organizations…

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman Trịnh Ngọc Thạch spoke highly of efforts made by the GCRA in building the draft law and urged the Drafting Committee to early complete the drafting for official appraising by the NA Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children.

PH