Vietnam bans magazine, third publication closed in a week
HANOI, Vietnam Vietnamese authorities have banned a magazine for publishing articles about how men can improve their sexual performance, the third publication shut by government censors in a week.
Officials at the Ministry of Culture and Information said Monday they closed a business magazine named Kinh Doanh Va San Pham (Business and Products) and were considering revoking the press credentials of its reporters and editors.
The magazine, owned by the Vietnam Alliance of Cooperatives, incurred the wrath of government officials by publishing a series of articles describing how men can improve their sexual performance and increase the pleasure of their partners.
"They are supposed to write about business and production, not about sex," said Vice Minister Do Quy Doan.
Editors at the magazine declined to comment Monday.
On Friday, the ministry suspended two newspapers, Thoi Dai (Time) and Cong Ly (Justice), for one month, saying they had published inaccurate information about problems with the country's new polymer bank notes.
Doan denied that there was a crackdown on the media.
"This is just our normal job," he said. "These media organizations which violated the press law must be dealt with."
All media outlets in Vietnam are under state control.
The Associated Press - October 23, 2006.
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