Which Agencies Are Granted Access to State Secrets?

Circular 19 stipulates that agencies, organizations, units, and individuals that hold state secrets are only to provide them to agencies, organizations, units, and individuals when approved by competent authorities as per the following regulations:

- Authority to provide information, documents, and materials containing state secrets to Vietnamese agencies, organizations, units, and individuals:

- State secrets classified as "Top Secret" and "Highly Secret" are to be approved by the Minister of Information and Communications;- State secrets classified as "Secret" are to be approved by the Chief of Office, heads of Departments, Units, and equivalent levels under the Ministry of Information and Communications;

- Authority to provide information, documents, and materials containing state secrets to foreign agencies, organizations, and individuals:

- State secrets classified as "Top Secret" are to be approved by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam;- State secrets classified as "Highly Secret" are to be approved by the Minister of Public Security;- State secrets classified as "Secret" are to be approved by the Minister of Information and Communications or an authorized person;

Additionally, Circular 19 stipulates that individuals assigned to investigate and collect information within the scope of state secrets must have an identity card or citizen identification card, an introduction letter, and a document from the managing agency clearly stating the content and purpose of the investigation and collection. The receiving party is not to disclose the information nor provide the received information to a third party.

It should be noted that the agency, organization, unit, or individual must only provide information according to the approved content. The content of the working session regarding the provision of information must be recorded in a memorandum to report to the competent authority that approved the information provision and submitted to the office or security department of the agency or unit.

For further details, see Circular 19/2017/TT-BTTTT, which is effective from November 1, 2017.

- Thao Uyen -

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