31.   Some Western countries have criticized Hanoi for jailing political dissidents and religious believers.

32.   The Communists persecuted many religious believers, especially the Greek Catholics, who were also considered treacherous nationalists.

33.   The government never barred religious observance, but restricted churches and forbade religious believers from holding key posts or belong to the Communist Party.

34.   The government later declared itself a secular state and gradually eased up on religious believers.

35.   The government never barred religious observance, but restricted churches and forbade religious believers to hold key posts or belong to the Communist Party.

36.   The PPP argued that the Constitution guarantees the rights of religious believers, not mystical believers.

37.   Activists warn that the crackdowns against religious believers are creating a breeding ground for Muslim fundamentalist groups in the ex-Soviet republic.