Fine up to VND 15 million for journalistic activities not in accordance with the purpose stated in the license in Vietnam

Fine up to VND 15 million for journalistic activities not in accordance with the purpose stated in the license in Vietnam (Illustrative Image)

Article 5 of Decree 119/2020/ND-CP stipulates fines ranging from 3,000,000 VND to 5,000,000 VND for any of the following acts:

- Changing the logo of a radio, television channel without the written approval of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

- Changing the broadcast duration, the self-produced program duration of a radio, television channel as stated in the radio operation license, television operation license, domestic radio program production license, domestic television program production license;

- Changing the name of the press agency’s managing authority; the press agency’s name; the name of the radio, television channel; the broadcast location; the office location associated with the central control center; the transmission and broadcasting methods stated in the radio operation license, television operation license without the approval of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Fines ranging from 10,000,000 VND to 15,000,000 VND for any of the following acts:

- Conducting information, journalism activities not in accordance with the purpose and program stated in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ license;

- Not adhering to the content stated in the bulletin or special publication license.

Fines ranging from 15,000,000 VND to 30,000,000 VND for any of the following acts:

- Altering or erasing the journalism activity license;

- Not adhering to the content stated in the journalism activity license, except for violations specified at Point e, Clause 4 and Point d, Clause 5, Article 8 of this Decree;

- Conducting information, journalism activities without the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ license;

- Publishing bulletins or special publications without a license;

- Violating the regulations on the establishment of representative offices, appointing permanent correspondents of the press agency;- Foreign journalism agencies, foreign representative agencies, foreign organizations in Vietnam conducting journalism activities or activities related to journalism without permission from Vietnamese authorities;

- Foreign press agencies establishing permanent offices in Vietnam without the written consent of the competent state agency.

Fines ranging from 30,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND for the act of publishing additional press editions, supplements, creating additional specialist pages for online newspapers, online magazines; producing additional radio, television channels without a license.

Fines ranging from 140,000,000 VND to 200,000,000 VND for the act of conducting print journalism, print magazines, radio journalism, television journalism, online journalism, online magazines without a journalism activity license as per regulations.

In addition to the fines, one of the following supplementary penalties may be applied:

- Confiscation of the violating items; confiscation of the administrative violation items which are press publications, supplements; confiscation of the administrative violation items which are print newspapers, print magazines;

- Revocation of the license from 03 months to 06 months for the act of conducting information, journalism activities not in accordance with the purpose and program stated in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ license.

For detailed information, refer to Decree 119/2020/ND-CP, effective from December 1, 2020.

Le Vy

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