While the Constitution of Vietnam officially provides for freedom of religion, in practice the government imposes a range of legislation restricting religious practice, such as registration requirements, control boards, and surveillance. All religious groups must seek approval and register with the government. The government requires all Buddhist monks to be approved by and work under the officially recognized Buddhist organization, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). The number of Buddhist student monks is controlled and limited by the Committee on Religious Affairs. According to a 2020 report by Human Rights Watch, prohibited religious activities are those deemed to be contrary to arbitrary notions of the "national interest", "public order", or "national unity". Unrecognized religious gro