FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ryan Goodwin
(202) 225-3765
Smith Blasts
Release Pro-Democracy Activists
Calls for Immediate Release of Political Prisoners and
Passage of Smith-authored
WASHINGTON–
“Today’s decision by Vietnam’s Supreme Appeals Court to
uphold bogus jail sentences for pro-democracy advocates Nguyen Van Dai and Le
Thi Cong Nhan marks another in a series of sham
trials and is further evidence that the regime in Hanoi continues to carry-out
human rights abuses with impunity,” said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
a leading human rights lawmaker in the U.S. Congress.
Smith
added, “Some of the finest human rights activists are persecuted by
the Government of
Smith’s
comments were in response to today’s reports that the Supreme Appeals
Court in
“The
U.S. government must take a stand against these repeated abuses and let the
Vietnamese Government know that continued human rights violations will not go
unnoticed or unpunished,” said Smith, author of
legislation promoting human rights in Vietnam.
On
September 18, 2007, by a resounding vote of 414-3, the U.S. House of Representatives
forcefully condemned human rights abuses in Vietnam and approved the
“Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007” to sanction the Vietnamese
Government until real progress is made on the release of political prisoners
and other fundamental human rights reforms take place.
“Today’s
deplorable events reiterate the need to immediately bar
Specifically,
Smith’s bill, H.R. 3096, prohibits increased U.S. non-humanitarian
assistance to the Government of Vietnam unless there is verifiable evidence
that the Vietnamese Government has made substantial progress towards the
release of its political and religious prisoners, respecting the right to
freedom of religion, returning properties, allowing free and open access to
refugee programs, respecting the human rights of members of all ethnic minority
groups, and taking appropriate steps to end trafficking in persons.
Additionally,
Smith’s bill authorizes $4 million over two years for organizations and
individuals that promote human rights in Vietnam, authorizes over $10 million
to help stop the Vietnamese Government’s jamming of Radio Free Asia, and
requires the State Department to issue an annual report on the progress of
human rights reform in Vietnam.
The
“Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007” does not restrict any
humanitarian assistance to the people of
Smith
introduced bills similar to the “Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007”
in the 107th Congress (H.R. 2833) and 108th Congress (H.R. 1587) and both times
they passed the House, but were never taken up in Senate.
Smith
called on his colleagues in the Senate not to let this year’s bill meet
the same fate.
“On
behalf of those who are risking their freedom and their lives in Vietnam to
obtain democracy for their fellow citizens and their country, I would plead
with my distinguished colleagues in the Senate not to allow economic or other
interests to obstruct these measures that will assist them in their
efforts,” Smith said.
Earlier
this year, the House also nearly unanimously passed a Smith-authored resolution
(H Res 243) calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to
unconditionally release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience,
including Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan.
Ryan Goodwin
Communications Director
& Legislative Assistant
Congressman Christopher H.
Smith
2373
Phone: 202-225-3765
Fax: 202-225-7768
For the latest news on
Rep. Smith,
please visit www.house.gov/chrissmith