Decree No. 102-SL/L-004 promulgates the Law on the Right to Form Associations which was voted on by the National Assembly during the sixth session.

DECREE

LAW NUMBER 102-SL/L-004 OF MAY 20, 1957 ON THE RIGHT TO FORM ASSOCIATIONS

THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

ISSUES THE FOLLOWING:

NOW PUBLISHES THE LAW ON THE RIGHT TO FORM ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH WAS VOTED ON BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DURING ITS SIXTH SESSION, AS FOLLOWS:

LAW

PROVISIONS ON THE RIGHT TO FORM ASSOCIATIONS

Article 1. The right of the people to form associations is respected and guaranteed. Forming associations must have legitimate purposes, be consistent with the interests of the people, contribute to uniting the people, and help build the people's democratic regime in our country.

Article 2. Everyone has the right to form associations, except those who have lost their civil rights or are being prosecuted under the law.

Everyone has the freedom to join legally established associations and the freedom to leave them.

No one shall infringe upon the right to form associations or the freedom to join or leave associations.

Article 3. To ensure that the formation of associations has legitimate purposes, to protect and consolidate the people's democratic regime, associations must obtain permission.

Regulations on forming associations shall be stipulated by the Government.

Article 4. Associations established before this law comes into effect and which operated in areas temporarily occupied during the resistance period, if they wish to continue operating, must reapply for permission.

Article 5. Legally established associations must operate in accordance with their own regulations and current laws, are permitted to collect membership fees from members, buy and sell necessary assets for association activities, and bring lawsuits before courts.

Those primarily responsible for associations may be founders or members of the executive committee of the association, depending on the situation.

Article 6. If Articles 3, 4, and 5 above are violated, depending on the severity of the case, those responsible will be warned or prosecuted before the court, and the association may be dissolved, and its assets may be confiscated.

In cases where prosecution before the court occurs, those responsible will be fined between ten thousand dong (100,000 đ) and fifty thousand dong (500,000 đ), and imprisoned for one month to one year, or one of these two penalties.

In cases where an association that has been dissolved continues to operate or is reorganized illegally, those responsible will be prosecuted before the court and fined between twenty thousand dong (200,000 đ) and one million dong (1,000,000 đ), and imprisoned for one month to two years, or one of these two penalties, the association will be dissolved, and its assets will be confiscated.

Article 7. Anyone who infringes upon the right to form associations or the freedom to join or leave associations may be warned or prosecuted before the court and imprisoned for one month to one year.

Article 8. Anyone who exploits the right to form associations to engage in activities harmful to national interests, people's interests, such as violating the law, opposing the regime, opposing the people's democratic government, dividing the nation, harming traditional customs, destroying the struggle for peace, unity, independence, democracy of the country, damaging friendly relations between our people and the people of other countries, spreading war propaganda, will be prosecuted before the court and punished according to current laws, the association may be dissolved, and its assets may be confiscated.

Article 9. Democratic mass organizations and people's mass organizations that participated in the National United Front during the resistance period, recognized by the National Assembly and the Government, are not within the scope of this law.

Article 10. Economic associations are not within the scope of this law.

Article 11. All regulations contrary to this law are abolished.

Article 12. The Government shall stipulate the details for implementing this law.