HO CHI MINH CITY — Father Chan Tin, an 83-year-old Vietnamese, has issued a report on the status of freedom of religious and human rights in Vietnam. The report, “A Reflection on the Religious Status of the Catholic Church in Vietnam,” was presented to the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom, which visited Vietnam last month. The AsiaNews agency reported that Father Chan referred to the underhanded policies of the Vietnamese government. Even those sentenced to death have no right to a fair trial or a lawyer, the priest reportedly said. In 2003 alone, 100 death sentences were issued. In recent years, oppression has extended to the use of the Internet. Vietnam continues to arrest Web surfers on charges of spying or spreading anti-government criticism over the Internet. The Vietnamese Constitution officially guarantees religious freedom. — E.P. News