Letter to the Hon. Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State - Correa, Lowenthal Call For Immediate Release of Imprisoned Democracy Activist Pham Doan Trang

Letter

The Honorable Mike Pompeo
Secretary
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Pompeo,

We write to express our grave concerns with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's arrest of Pham Doan Trang, a prominent blogger, and author who is a fervent activist and a champion of democracy.

Ms. Pham was arrested on October 6, 2020, only hours after the US-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, for reporting and sharing information about a violent clash within the Dong Tam commune. She was also targeted for her call on Vietnam to enact new laws governing the election of the country's National Assembly.

Her arrest is only the latest act of repression by the Vietnamese government. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison, is currently at great risk of torture and ill-treatment while in custody. Each and every day she spends imprisoned is a grave injustice and violates Vietnam's international human rights commitments.

Vietnam is a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and has committed to respecting individual freedom of belief, speech, association, press, and the right to assembly and political expression. The government of Vietnam has also claimed that they will uphold the rule of law, due process, and protect the rights of its citizens.

Pham Doan Trang violated no law and only exercised her basic freedoms and fundamental rights guaranteed in Vietnam's Constitution. We firmly believe that she must be immediately and unconditionally released. We request that you urge the government of Vietnam to stop the crackdown on peaceful dissidents and to include the release of Pham Doan Trang during any bilateral meetings with the Vietnamese authorities. Lastly, we request that the Department of State briefs Congress on the situation at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to a timely response.

Sincerely,