The Vietnam Government has issued on March 29 a Decree 38/2021/NĐ-CP on prescribing penalties for administrative violations involving cultural and advertising activities. This Decree took effect from June 1.
The Decree consists of five chapters with 74 articles prescribing violating acts, sanction forms, rates and remedies, competence authorities to issue penalty notice to sanction for administrative violations involving cultural and advertising activities.
According to the Decree, burning incense or burning votive paper in the wrong places shall be imposed a fine ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 VND. Uttering profanities, swearing or insulting holy spirit, affecting the solemn atmosphere of festivals and wearing clothes which are inappropriate or do not conform to Vietnamese cultural traditions also shall be imposed for the same fine.
A fine ranging from VND 500,000 to VND one million VND shall be imposed for insisting on asking festival attendees to use services and goods
A fine ranging from three million VDN to five million VND shall be imposed for violations exploiting festival activities to any personal advantage and joining superstitious activities in festivals.
Restoring customs and practices that affect health, human personality and cultural traditions of Vietnam and forcing organizations and individuals to contribute their funds to festivals shall be imposed a fine ranging from five million VND to 10 million VND.
In addition, the decree also sets out a fine of between 15 and 20 million dong for the following violations: organizing traditional festivals of which the historical and cultural nature and meaning are not correct; performing rituals that are violent, offensive, contrary to the traditional peace-loving and humanitarian tradition of Vietnam; failing to delay festivals at a request of the competent state authority; and organizing superstitious activities.
