Vietnam's government has rejected as "biased" a US State Department report criticising religious freedom in the Southeast Asian country, according to an AP report on ninemsn.com.au.

The report, which covers the period of July-December 2010, said there were continued reports of abuses of religious freedom in Vietnam and that despite areas of progress, significant problems remained.

"Some religious believers continued to experience harassment or repression, particularly those who had not applied for or been granted legal sanction," said the report. It also said there were instances where officials have forced church gathering to cease and have pressured individuals to renounce their religious beliefs.

Communist Party newspaper Nhan Dan quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi as saying the report contained "biased assessments" about religious freedom in Vietnam based on "erroneous" information.

Nghi said people's rights to religious freedom were enshrined in the country's constitution, were respected and ensured in practice and were recognised by the international community.

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Vietnam rejects religious freedom: report (ninemsn.com.au/AP)

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