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Petrotimes has made mistakes systematically
Petrotimes has made mistakes systematically
13/10/16
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| Petrotimes - the news site of Vietnam Petroleum Association |
Minister of Information and
Communications Truong Minh Tuan has informed that the decision to punish the
Petrotimes and the head of this newspaper was due to its systematic mistakes.
Previously, Ministry of Information
and Communications issued two decisions on Monday afternoon, one ordering a
three-month suspension of local news site PetroTimes and the other on the
revocation of Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Nhu Phong’s press card.
According to one of the decisions,
Phong had his press card revoked because he had been fired by his governing
body, the Vietnam Petroleum Association (VPA), from the editor-in-chief
position at the news site. The PetroTimes is responsible for withdrawing
Phong’s press card and submitting it to the ministry.
In the other decision, the
Petrotimes will be subject to a three-month suspension starting on Monday due
to “violation in journalistic activities”
Explaining for the decision to the
press, Minister Truong Minh Tuan issued some typical evidences for the
violation of the Petrotimes. For example, recently the Petrotimes had reposted
some articles of an overseas Vietnamese newspaper interviewing Bui Thanh Hieu
about Trinh Xuan Thanh.
Bui Thanh Hieu is a social
troublemaker and has been punished since 2009; he is now living abroad and
continues to make social disturbance in Vietnam by propagandizing false
information against the State, organizations and individuals.
“Reposting the articles of Bui Thanh
Hieu on the news site of the VPA has acted not only against the principles,
objectives the VPA, but also given hands for those who is acting to undermine
the State,” the Minister said.
The articles issued false
information, along with misleading statements about Trinh Xuan Thanh who has
been wanted by the police.
Minister Truong Minh Tuan said the
Petrotimes has been on wrong track of principles and purposes of the VPA for
many years.
Specifically, according to the
license, the PetroTimes is to propaganda on the fields of energy, oil and gas,
reflecting the activities of the oil and gas industry of Vietnam and the world;
to call on the people to save the energy, to protect the environment. However,
the Petrotimes has spent too much of time on other areas rather than the
guiding principles.
“This newspaper has been not on the
right track, posted a lot of unconfirmed or wrong sources, led to bad affects
to the society, the individuals and organizations’ dignity,” the Minister said.
“The Petrotimes has been punished
for many times but the newspaper continues to make mistakes. As the
Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Phong must take responsibility,” the Minister
stressed.
The majority of journalists and the
people are in favor of this decision, but there are some voices concerning that
Vietnam is tightening the press, violating the right of freedom of speech.
However, the Minister affirmed that Vietnam has the own law to protect the
freedom of the press, not only the freedom for journalists but also the freedom
of speech for everyone.
“When the journalists or press
agencies use this right for other purposes, they has been violated the right of
the people. Therefore, the punishment of the Petrotimes will clear the press,
to promote the fairness in carrying out the right of freedom of speech and
press of the people,” the Minister said.
The Ministry of Information and
Communications is going to review the principles, objectives of the press
agencies and will give strict punishments to ones that violated./.
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All comments [ 5 ]
It's time for the Petrotimes to take a reform
PetroTimes ran articles with details from unconfirmed sources which provided incorrect information, showing weaknesses in professionalism and political awareness,
Petrotimes should focus on the fields of energy, oil and gas, reflecting the activities of the oil and gas industry of Vietnam and the world
Don't abuse the right of the freedom of speech!
The decision is necessary to clear to maintain a good press environment in Vietnam
Your comments