HANOI – The police in Vietnam have arrested a senior official involved in talks with international organisations on labour reforms, state media said on May 9, adding that the action was linked to the 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.

As director-general of the Vietnam labour ministry’s legal affairs department, the 51-year-old oversaw reforms to labour law on which he worked closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the ministry said on its website.

Reuters could not immediately reach him or his family for comment. The ILO and Vietnam’s labour ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment on his arrest.

He was detained on charges of intentionally revealing state secrets, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said, adding that the police were widening their investigation.

His efforts with the ILO – a specialised agency of the UN – and international partners aimed at the possible ratification of Convention 87 on labour and trade union rights. If passed, the measure would guarantee workers the right to form independent trade unions without prior authorisation.

Vietnam is required to ratify the convention under a free trade deal with the European Union and pacts with Pacific trade partners, but the approval process has been long delayed. REUTERS