Activists urge EU to reject Vietnam free trade deal

Dozens of organisations including rights groups and pro-democracy activists have urged the European Union to reject a proposed free trade agreement with Vietnam, accusing the one-party state of being among the “worst enemies” of human rights. In a letter yesterday, 90 organisations called on the EU to pull out of the agreement and accused the communist country of waging a crackdown on critics. “It would be a disgrace if European countries were to ratify free trade with a country that is one of the world’s worst enemies of freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of association,” said the open letter addressed to the EU Council and the European Parliament.