By DEEPA BHARATH
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
WESTMINSTER – Three members of Viet Tan, or the Vietnam Reform Party, who were arrested in Ho Chi Minh City for distributing pamphlets, were convicted of terrorism during a court hearing Monday and will be released soon, Viet Tan party leaders announced at a news conference in Little Saigon today.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, a Sacramento resident, will be deported Saturday from Vietnam. Somsak Khunmi of Thailand will be released in three months and Nguyen The Vu, a Vietnamese citizen, has already been released.
Diem Do, Viet Tan chairman, said the Vietnamese government had no evidence that his party members were terrorists.
“These men were arrested as they were distributing pamphlets of a nonviolent nature talking about peaceful change in Vietnam,” he said.
Viet Tan also had the support of several congressional leaders, including Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, and Rep. Ed Royce, R-Fullerton.
Sanchez called the communist government’s trials “outrageous.” She said she will continue to work to promote human rights in Vietnam.
Viet Tan, which had remained an underground operation for many years, became a public entity about three years ago.
“We believe we have to be visible and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Vietnamese people instead of hiding,” Do said. “We understand that increases our risk of being arrested, but it’s something we have to do.”
Do will also testify during a congressional hearing at 4 p.m. today on human rights in Vietnam.