Press law, law no. 103/2016/ qh13, issued by the national assembly on april 5, 2016, in effect from january 1, 2017

- press law 2016 has 6 chapters and 61 articles, affirming citizen's freedom of press, freedom of speech on press, freedom to organize and operate press. the law also concerns the rights and obligations of agencies, organizations and individuals involved in, and related to, press activities as well as journalism management at state level. - chapter ii with 4 articles specifies the citizen's right to freedom of the press and the right to freedom of speech in the press. this stipulates that citizens have the right to; create press works, provide information for newspapers, feedback on the press, access to press information, link with press agencies for press products, printing and publishing newspaper, to make suggestions, criticisms, proposals, complaints and reports on the press about the party's organizations, state agencies, socio-political organizations, socio-political-professional organizations, social organization and socio-professional organizations and members of such agencies and organizations. - the new press law makes additions to the subjects who can have scientific journals, such as; higher educational institutions under the provisions of the law on higher education, scientific research organizations, scientific research and technological development organizations in the form of academic institutes as well as institutes according to the provisions of the law on science and technology and hospitals from provincial to municipal level or equivalents and above. - the new law also specifies the responsibility for providing information to the press of agencies, organizations and persons held responsible as well as the information which competent agencies, organizations and individuals have the right to refuse to provide information to the press. - in order to protect the press source and the professional rights of journalists, compared to the current law the new press law provides limitations that press agencies and journalists shall only have to disclose information on the providers when required in the form of written requests by the people's procuracy's head and people's court's chief justice from provincial and equivalent level and above. the information is necessary for investigation and trial of very serious and extremely serious criminals. at the same time, the people's procuracy's head and people's court's chief justice from provincial and equivalent level and above are responsible for protecting the informants once their names are revealed. - the government takes prime responsibility on press and media management. - ministry of information and communications is the focal point on the management of press and media.