The alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old British woman in Sant Elm, Mallorca, in June by a famous Vietnamese musician and an actor has sparked a backlash in Vietnam.
According to news outlet VN Express, the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports has issued a regulation requiring artists of affiliated agencies to refrain from actions that can damage the nation’s image when they are abroad.
The department issued on August 22 a regulation on management and approval of civil servants, public employees and artists going abroad.
One of the requirements in the regulation says, among other things, that artists must follow Vietnamese laws and the laws of other countries and territories, preserve national image and report Vietnamese officials in case they overstay their visas.
If the artist needs to stay longer abroad for personal reasons, he or she must provide a written explanation.
If the overstay is for objective reasons, he or she must notify the leader of Vietnam’s delegation immediately via official email, phone call, or other means and forms of communication, and submit the application immediately.