Timothy Trinh
Vietnam Human Rights Act was introduced in House by Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] (for himself, Ms. Lofgren, and Mr. Lowenthal) on February 26, 2019; and it was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The bill requires the Secretary of State to urge the Government of Vietnam to repeal laws and administrative decrees restricting freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in Vietnam [Sec.3(b)], and to release political and religious prisoners including Dao Quang Thuc, Tran Thi Xuan, Nguyen Van Tuc, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Pham Van Troi, Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Trung Truc, and the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do [Sec.3(c)].
SEC. 3. RELEASE OF POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS PRISONERS IN VIETNAM.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds the following:
(1) Since January 2017 at least 35 human rights activists and bloggers have been arrested in Vietnam. Nineteen of these individuals have already been convicted and sentenced to jail terms and the other 16 individuals have been formally charged and placed in pre-trial detention. These individuals have been sentenced to an estimated 1,000 years of imprisonment to be followed by 204 years under house arrest.
(2) There are over 100 Vietnamese currently detained or imprisoned for political or religious reasons. Prisoners include human rights defenders, bloggers, lawyers, religious leaders, trade unionists, land rights activists, political dissidents, environmental campaigners, and others arrested for exercising their internationally guaranteed rights, such as the right to freedom of expression, to promote and protect the rights of others.
(3) There are also a significant number of religious prisoners affiliated with independent religious communities, including some who have actively engaged in the promotion and protection of freedom of religion and others who have been detained simply for professing or practicing their faith outside government approved limits.
(4) The charges most commonly used against political and religious prisoners include charges under—
(A) Article 79 (relating to carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration);
(B) Article 87 (relating to undermining national unity policy);
(C) Article 88 (relating to conducting propaganda against the Government of Vietnam);
(D) Article 89 (relating to disrupting security);
(E) Article 245 (relating to causing public disorder);
(F) Article 247 (relating to performing superstitious practices);
(G) Article 257 (relating to resisting persons in the performance of their official duties); and
(H) Article 258 (relating to abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state).
(5) In 2013, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decree 72 to further restrict internet freedom in Vietnam.
(b) Repeal Of Certain Laws And Administrative Decrees.—The Secretary of State, in discussions with the Government of Vietnam, should—
(1) urge the Government of Vietnam to repeal laws and administrative decrees restricting freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in Vietnam, including laws relating to “propaganda against the state” and “taking advantage of democratic freedoms to injure the national unity”;
(2) urge the Government of Vietnam to repeal articles 109, 116, 117, 118, and 331 of the Penal Code and bring its penal code in conformity with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);
(3) urge the Government of Vietnam to revise the Law on Cyber Security and bring it into compliance with international human rights standards; and
(4) urge the Government of Vietnam—
(A) to stop arresting prodemocracy bloggers and other individuals who use the internet to criticize the government; and
(B) to release those prodemocracy bloggers who are imprisoned.
(c) Release Of Political And Religious Prisoners.—The Secretary of State, in discussions with the Government of Vietnam, should seek, as a critical condition of stronger United States-Vietnam relations, the immediate and unconditional release all political and religious prisoners, including Dao Quang Thuc, Tran Thi Xuan, Nguyen Van Tuc, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Pham Van Troi, Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Trung Truc, and the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do.
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The bill is co-sponsered by:
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19]*
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]*
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]03/05/2019
Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray, Jr. [D-CA-39]03/13/2019
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]03/18/2019
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]03/28/2019
Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]04/09/2019
Rep. Rouda, Harley [D-CA-48]04/18/2019
Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]06/25/2019
Rep. Wright, Ron [R-TX-6]07/22/2019
Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]07/23/2019
Rep. Horn, Kendra S. [D-OK-5]10/21/2019
Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22]10/31/2019
Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]11/08/2019
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IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN OR RESIDENT, PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ASK FOR HIS/HER SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
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Người Đà Lạt Xưa
December 15, 2019
