Người Việt-Anh Quốc

September 03, 2013
The Honorable Barbara Boxer
US Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510

Dear Senator Boxer:

We join other constituents of yours from across California to urge you to co-sponsor the Vietnam Human Rights Act, which passed the House overwhelmingly on August 1.

Political crackdown has escalated in Vietnam since 2007. With Burma initiating important reforms, Vietnam now stands out as the worst violator of human rights and worst enemy of democracy in Southeast Asia. According to international human rights organizations, there are some 120 confirmed prisoners of conscience in Vietnamese prisons. They have been falsely accused and convicted on bogus charges because they advocate for human rights, religious freedom and social justice. In the first six months of 2013 close to 50 human rights defenders have been arrested or sentenced. In addition there are approximately 450 political prisoners from different ethnic minorities.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Vietnam is the world’s second biggest prison for bloggers and cyber-dissidents, only after China. Thirty five bloggers are currently detained and their rank is swelling steadfastly. Vietnam’s Executive Decree 72, taking effect on September 1, will ban the use of blogs and other social media from sharing information from news sources. On August 26, the Freedom Online Coalition, comprised of 21 governments including the U.S. government, decries that “Decree 72 appears to be inconsistent with Vietnam’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as its commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

The Vietnamese government continues to suppress freedom of religion by requiring that all religious activities be pre-approved by the government. Independent religious groups are forced to submit themselves to state-sponsored religious organizations or be outlawed. Thousands of Protestant house churches, Cao Dai denominations, and Hoa Hao Buddhist organizations have been  banned. The Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, the largest religious organization in Vietnam, has been outlawed since 1975.

We ask that you again co-sponsor Vietnam Human Rights Act. Its passage in the Senate will send a clear and strong message to the Vietnamese government that expanded trade and partnership with the U.S. must be pre-conditioned on significant improvements in human rights.
Sincerely,

Name: ___________________________    Date: _______________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________