U.S. Congressmen urge Vietnamese Prime Minister to release land rights activists

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print
Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

March 24, 2011

His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung
Prime Minister of Vietnam

c/o Embassy of Vietnam
1233 20th Street, NW #400
Washington, DC20036

Dear Prime Minister:

We write today to express ou concern about the detention of three United States citizens who were detained during a peaceful demonstration in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, March 14, 2011. We are relieved to hear that Mr. Nguyen Ly Trong of California, Mr. Nguyen Quang Khanh of Colorado and Ms. Jennifer Truong of California have been released and are being reunited with their family members.

We are however extremely concerned about the continued detention of other individuals imprisoned for their democracy advocacy. We previously corresponded with your governement that requested the immediate release of Ms. Tran Thi Thuy from Dong Thap, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam from Ben Tre and Pastor Duong Kim Khai of the Mennonite Church who have been detained since July 2010. Other land rights activists including Pham Ngoc Hoa, Nguyen Chi Thanh and Pham Van Thong have been denied legal representation and visits from their family members.

Their activism is a basic right of every human being and Vietnam acknowkedged this by its signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Your government has expressed its commitment to maintaining international standards of human rights. We ask that you demonstrate your commitment by allowing family members of the individuals named above to visit their loved ones, by providing them access to their legal representatives and ultimately to your setting them free.

We anticipate your prompt response to this letter and for your willingness to cooperate.

Sincerely,

Dana Rohrabacher, MC
46th Congressional Distric-CA

Edward Royce, MC
40th Congressional Distric-CA

PDF - 88.4 kb
Rohrabacher & Royce letter to Nguyen Tan Dung

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

LATEST ARTICLES

Vietnam: A Half Century Of Backwardness And The Path Forward

Half a century after the war and following three decades of integration, Vietnam has seen economic growth but our overall development remains behind the advanced countries in the region. Without sustainable and comprehensive development, Vietnam is at risk of falling further behind.

Internet Freedom Campaign

Vital to Vietnam’s development, the Internet has the power to transform Vietnamese society; in many ways it already has. In the absence of an independent media, citizens have turned to the Internet to follow the news and debate national issues.

Fleeing My Homeland but Unable to Escape Repression !

My name is Nguyễn Văn Tráng, a human rights defenderwanted by the Vietnamese government. As a democracy activist in Vietnam, I spent five years living in constant fear of being hunted down. I thought that fear would subside once I fled the country. I believed I would be safe—or at least safer. But I was wrong.

Chris MacLeod pays tribute to Y Brec Bya

Y Krec has exhibited personal bravery in the face of horrific persecution. Not just against himself but against his community. He has been jailed multiple times simply for practicing his faith outside of government control.