Vietnam: Responsibilities of agencies and organizations for protection of state secrets

Specifically, according to the Ordinance on State secrets protection 2000 of Vietnam, the State shall exercise the unified State management over the State secrets protection.

The Ministry of Public Security shall take responsibility before the Government for the exercise of State management over State secrets protection and have the following tasks and powers:

- To submit to the Government and the Prime Minister draft legal documents on State secrets protection;

- To guide agencies and organizations to make lists of State secrets and effect the protection of State secrets;

- To appraise the classification and declassification of State secrets of Absolute Secret and Top Secret degrees and submit them to the Prime Minister for decision;

- To classify and declassify State secrets of the Secret degree after consulting with the heads or authorized persons of concerned agencies and organizations;

- To inspect, examine and handle violations and to settle complaints and denunciations in the field of State secrets protection;

- To assist the Government in making preliminary review and final review of the work of State secrets protection.

Also according to this Ordinance, within the ambit of their tasks and powers, the heads or authorized persons of agencies and organizations as well as the presidents of the People’s Committees of all levels shall have the following responsibilities:

- To organize the realization of the work of State secrets protection according to the provisions of this Ordinance and other relevant legal documents;

- To promulgate and organize the implementation of their respective internal regulations on State secrets protection as stipulated by the Government;

- To make lists, confidentiality degree changes and declassification of State secrets and submit them to the competent authorities for decision;

- To arrange State secrets protection personnel according to the Government’s regulations;

- To propagate and educate people under their respective management for higher responsibility as well as vigilance and strict observance of the legislation on State secrets protection;

- To effect the regime of reporting on the work of State secrets protection as provided for by the Government.

The Ministry of Defense shall have the responsibility to effect the work of State secrets protection in agencies and units under its management as provided for by the Government.

View more details: The Ordinance on State secrets protection 2000 of Vietnam takes effect from April 01, 2001.

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