What is Declassification?
On November 15, 2018, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Session XIV, during its 6th meeting, passed the Law on Protection of State Secrets No. 29/2018/QH14 (abbreviated as the Law on Protection of State Secrets 2018).
The Law on Protection of State Secrets 2018 prescribes regulations concerning state secrets, the activities of protecting state secrets, and the responsibilities of relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.
According to the provisions in Article 22 of the Law on Protection of State Secrets 2018 (effective from July 1, 2020), declassification is the removal of the state secret classification.
State secrets may be entirely or partially declassified in the following circumstances:
- When the protection period of state secrets stipulated in Article 19 of the Law on Protection of State Secrets 2018 and the extension period stipulated in Article 20 of the Law on Protection of State Secrets 2018 have expired;
- To meet practical requirements for protecting national interests, safeguarding national and ethnic interests; and promoting economic-social development; international integration and cooperation;
- No longer categorized as state secrets.
The above constitutes our advisory perspective regarding the issue you are inquiring about.
Respectfully!
