Senators Boxer and Feinstein Call on Vietnam to Release California Democracy Activist

January 25, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein (both D-CA) today sent a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam, calling on him to release Nguyen Quoc Quan, a U.S. citizen and democracy activist from Sacramento who has been imprisoned in Vietnam since November 2007.

“We write today to request that you help facilitate the release of Mr. Nguyen Quoc Quan…who traveled to Vietnam to promote non-violent democratic change,” the letter states.

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According to news reports, Mr. Nguyen, who is a member of Viet Tan, the Vietnam Reform Party, was arrested in Ho Chi Minh City on November 17th for peacefully distributing pro-democracy literature.

“We are deeply concerned by reports that Mr. Nguyen and other American and Vietnamese citizens have been labeled as ‘terrorists’ and imprisoned without Charge or trial for their peaceful expression of political views,” states the letter.

“We urge you to ensure Mr. Nguyen’s release for exercising one of the most basic human rights – the peaceful advocacy of political views,” the letter states.

The two Senators also call on the Prime Minister to release all political prisoners detained under similar circumstances and to stop using charges of terrorism to silence opposition to government policies.

The text of the letter follows:

January 25, 2008

The Honorable Nguyen Tan Dung

Prime Minister

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Dear Prime Minister Dung:

We write today to request that you help facilitate the release of Mr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, an American citizen and California resident who was arrested in Vietnam on November 17, 2007. Mr. Nguyen is a long-time Sacramento, California resident and father of two U.S. citizen children who traveled to Vietnam to promote non-violent democratic change. According to available news reports, Mr. Nguyen was arrested for the peaceful distribution of pro-democracy leaflets.

As Senators who support a strong US-Vietnam bilateral relationship, we understand that Vietnam is undergoing dynamic internal changes, and welcome its growing role in the international community. In addition, we are pleased that Vietnam has expressed its commitment to maintaining international standards of human rights and believe that this is an important step in the country’s continuing development and deeper integration into the international community. For these reasons, we are deeply concerned by reports that Mr. Nguyen and other American and Vietnamese citizens have been labeled as “terrorists” and imprisoned without charge or trial for their peaceful expression of political views. In keeping with Vietnam’s stated commitment to human rights, we urge you to ensure Mr. Nguyen’s release for exercising one of the most basic human rights—the peaceful advocacy of political views.

In addition to releasing Mr. Nguyen, we also ask that you take concrete steps to release all political prisoners detained under similar circumstances, and to end the inappropriate use of the charge of terrorism to silence opposition to the government’s policies. We look forward to your prompt response to this letter and to continuing to strengthen US-Vietnam ties.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

Source: Senator Barbara Boxer