Congresswoman Susan Davis urges Hillary Clinton to secure Dr. Quan’s release

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October 19, 2012

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State
2210 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

As you know, this week marked six months of arbitrary detention for Nguyen Quoc Quan by the Government of Vietnam. I write to request an update from your office on his condition in prison and the U.S. Consulate’s efforts to secure his immediate release.

Nguyen Quoc Quan is an American citizen and resident of my home state of California. He received his doctorate in mathematics from North Carolina State University. Dr. Quan is a member of the Viet Tan party, which works to promote democracy and human rights in Vietnam through peaceful means. His work is no different than that of the brave activist and protestors who set in motion the wave of democratic changes during the Arab Spring. His calls for peaceful advocacy have inspired many Vietnamese-Americans, including those in my district in San Diego, where he has led seminars on civic engagement.

My staff had a chance to meet Dr. Quan’s wife, Mai Huong Ngo, when she came before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to speak about her husband’s plight. Her stirring testimony painted a full picture of the man she knows, one who has given his life fighting in the name of social justice and democracy.

Last month, Congress passed H.Res. 484 to call on the Government of Vietnam to stop abusing vague national security laws to arrest and detain individuals who advocate for religious and political freedoms. Dr. Quan’s arrest highlights the tragedy of these ill-defined laws, where peaceful advocacy can act as pretext for locking up Americans citizens.

The Wall Street Journal published an editorial stating that, “Washington shouldn’t be shy about expecting Hanoi to improve its rights record as a condition of the closer strategic cooperation that Vietnam’s government holds dear.” I urge you to heed this message in your conversations with Vietnamese officials, and thank you for your support of the ongoing fight for fundamental freedoms and basic human rights in Vietnam.

Thank you for your attention to this important international issue, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Susan A. Davis

PDF - 78.7 kb
Susan Davis’ letter to Hillary Clinton on Nguyen Quoc Quan (pdf)

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