September 10, 2009
Sixteen Members of Congress have now co-sponsored House Resolution 672 calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to release imprisoned bloggers and respect internet freedom. This resolution, once adopted by the House of Representatives, would send a strong message to the Hanoi government to repeal restrictive measures limiting freedom of expression online.
In recent days, pressure from human rights groups and Vietnamese public opinion have compelled Hanoi to release online journalist Pham Doan Trang and bloggers Bui Thanh Hieu (pen name Wind Trader) and Sphinx.
However, numerous bloggers and online activists including Tran Huynh Duy Thuc (pen name ChangeWeNeed), Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (pen name Mother Mushroom) and Nguyen Van Hai (pen name Dieu Cay) remain in prison.
To support Vietnam’s blogger movement, Viet Tan calls on human rights supporters in the United States to continue lobbying congressional representatives to sponsor H.Res. 672. This is a very practical action to show solidarity with online activists in Vietnam facing government repression.
For more information on Viet Tan’s Campaign for Internet Freedom, please visit www.viettan.org/internetfreedom.
H.Res. 672 was introduced by Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) and currently has the support of the following Representatives:
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Joseph Cao (R-LA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), John Culberson (R-TX), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Dan Lungren (R-CA), James Moran (D-VA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Ed Royce (R-CA), Brad Sherman (R-CA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Pete Stark (D-CA), and Frank Wolf (R-VA).
Contact: Duy Hoang
+1 (202) 470-0845