Vietnam arrests official engaged in UN talks on labour reform

Nguyen Van Binh oversaw reforms to labour law on which he worked closely with the International Labour Organisation – a specialised agency of the UN. - PHOTO: AFP

HANOI (Reuters): Police in Vietnam have arrested a senior official involved in talks with international organisations on labour reforms, state media said on Thursday night, adding that the action was linked to the alleged disclosure of classified information.

The detention of Nguyen Van Binh follows months of arrests of prominent experts and activists, in what some diplomats see as a further crackdown on civil society amid a major reshuffle of top political leaders in the Communist-ruled country.