Senator Janet Nguyen is asking President Biden to address human and religious rights violations with Socialist Republic of Vietnam President Vo Van Thong when he attends the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Nov. 14.
The summit will be held in San Francisco over three days and gives President Biden the perfect opportunity to discuss the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s abuses against political dissidents, religious leaders and journalists, Senator Nguyen said.
“I know firsthand about this -- my family escaped Vietnam after the war ended when I was a child,” Senator Nguyen said. “The average person lives in poverty and fear. Many of those unlucky enough to get arrested do not get fair trials and are thrown into prison camps like gulags – forced labor, starvation rations and beatings.”
In a letter to President Biden, Senator Nguyen outlines incidents of abuse, such as journalist Le Trong Hung, who was sentenced to five years in 2021 for distributing copies of the Constitution and recruiting candidates to run for office.
Religious dissidents fare worse, as evidenced by the 15-year sentence against evangelist Krech Bya for hosting an Easter Service this year and Pastor Yich who has been imprisoned since 2013 for “undermining national unity.” A US State Department press release from March notes that Mr. Yich has been tortured and denied medical care. Cases such as these violate international law that allows the freedom of thought and religion.
“As time has progressed the United States has increasingly developed stronger economic partnerships with Vietnam but these partnerships have had little impact on the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s human and religious rights record against the people of Vietnam,” Senator Nguyen said. “It’s time that this country steps into the 21st Century and stops its barbaric practices. I am hopeful that President Biden will bring attention to these issues.”
Amnesty International notes that Vietnam had 128 prisoners of conscience in 2019, when its last survey was conducted. Other organizations place the number at more than 300.