IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1222 

Condemning the Communist Party of Vietnam for imprisoning independent 

journalists, human rights defenders, religious figures, and dissidents in 

Vietnam. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 10, 2024 

Mrs. STEEL (for herself and Mr. CORREA) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the Communist Party of Vietnam for imprisoning independent journalists, human rights defenders, 

religious figures, and dissidents in Vietnam. 

Whereas independent journalists, human rights defenders, religious figures, and dissidents in Vietnam are arrested for 

exercising their right to freedom of speech; 

Whereas the Communist Party of Vietnam holds the second 

highest number of political prisoners of any of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member 

states; 

Whereas the Ministry of Public Service assaults prisoners to 

extract information, uses excessive force while on duty, 

tortures detainees, uses forced labor, and prevents prisoners from having access to health care; 


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•HRES 1222 IH 

Whereas detention centers and prisons in Vietnam lack access 

to potable water and have poor sanitation facilities, excessive heat during the summer season, and insufficient as 

well as unclean food; 

Whereas over 170 Vietnamese political and religious prisoners 

are currently detained in Vietnam, nearly half of whom 

were arrested due to expression or activities online; 

Whereas democracy activist Tran Huynh Duy Thuc was arrested on May 24, 2009, and was sentenced to 16 years 

in prison; 

Whereas environmental activist Le Dinh Luong was arrested 

on July 24, 2017, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison; 

Whereas Radio Free Asia contributor and journalist Truong 

Duy Nhat was arrested on January 28, 2019, and was 

sentenced to 10 years in prison; 

Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam 

member and journalist Pham Chi Dung was arrested on 

November 21, 2019, and was sentenced to 15 years in 

prison; 

Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam 

member and journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy was arrested 

on May 23, 2020, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison; 

Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam 

member and journalist Le Huu Minh Tuan was arrested 

on June 12, 2020, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison; 

Whereas land rights activist Can Thi Theu was arrested on 

June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 8 years in prison; 


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•HRES 1222 IH 

Whereas land rights activist Trinh Ba Phuong was arrested 

on June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; 

Whereas land rights activist Trinh Ba Tu was arrested on 

June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 8 years in prison; 

Whereas land rights activist Nguyen Thi Tam was arrested 

on June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 6 years in prison; 

Whereas blogger Pham Doan Trang was arrested on October 

6, 2020, and was sentenced to 9 years in prison; 

Whereas writer Pham Chi Thanh was arrested on May 21, 

2020, and was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in 

prison; 

Whereas Clean Newspaper (Bao Sach) member and journalist 

Truong Chau Huu Danh was arrested on December 17, 

2020, and was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in 

prison; 

Whereas Clean Newspaper (Bao Sach) member and journalist 

Doan Kien Giang was arrested on April 20, 2021, and 

was sentenced to 3 years in prison; 

Whereas Clean Newspaper (Bao Sach) member and journalist 

Nguyen Phuoc Trung Bao was arrested on April 20, 

2021, and was sentenced to 2 years in prison; 

Whereas Clean Newspaper (Bao Sach) member and journalist 

Nguyen Thanh Nha was arrested on April 20, 2021, and 

was sentenced to 2 years in prison; 

Whereas Clean Newspaper (Bao Sach) member and journalist 

Le The Thang was arrested on July 6, 2021, and was 

sentenced to 3 years in prison; 


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•HRES 1222 IH 

Whereas democracy activist Do Nam Trung was arrested on 

July 6, 2021, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; 

Whereas independent political candidate Le Trong Hung was 

arrested on March 25, 2021, and was sentenced to 5 

years in prison; 

Whereas journalist Nguyen Lan Thang was arrested on July 

5, 2022, and was sentenced to 6 years in prison and 2 

years of probation; 

Whereas activist Truong Van Dung was arrested on May 21, 

2022, and was sentenced to 6 years in prison; 

Whereas activist Bui Tuan Lam was arrested on September 

7, 2022, and was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in 

prison; 

Whereas teacher Dang Dang Phuoc was arrested was arrested on September 8, 2022, and was sentenced to 8 

years in prison and 4 years of probation; 

Whereas activist Hoang Van Vuong was arrested on January 

3, 2023, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison; 

Whereas political commentator Le Minh The was arrested on 

February 22, 2023, and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 

months in prison; 

Whereas environmental activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong was 

arrested on May 31, 2023, and was sentenced to 3 years 

in prison; 

Whereas a former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Hoang Nam 

was arrested on July 24, 2023, and was sentenced to 8 

years in prison; 

Whereas activist To Hoang Chuong was arrested on July 31, 

2023, and was sentenced to 4 years in prison; 


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•HRES 1222 IH 

Whereas comedian Nguyen Phuc Gia Huy was detained, 

beaten, and fined on August 15, 2023; 

Whereas blogger Nguyen Chi Tuyen was arrested on February 29, 2024; and 

Whereas journalist Nguyen Vu Binh was arrested on February 29, 2024: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) condemns Vietnamese authorities’ egregious 

3 assault on freedom of expression, freedom of speech, 

4 freedom of the press, and human rights in Vietnam; 

5 (2) condemns Vietnamese authorities’ ongoing 

6 imprisonment of peaceful protestors, cultural fig7 ures, journalists, and human rights defenders; 

8 (3) calls for the immediate release of journal9 ists, human rights defenders, religious figures, and 

10 dissidents currently held as prisoners in Vietnam; 

11 (4) calls on the Biden administration to support 

12 initiatives to assist survivors of torture and other 

13 human rights violations from Vietnam; 

14 (5) commends the bravery of the Vietnamese 

15 people who protest the Communist Party of Viet16 nam’s autocracy; 

17 (6) calls on the Biden administration to exam18 ine all available accountability options for violators 

19 of human rights and fundamental freedoms; 


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•HRES 1222 IH 

1 (7) calls on the United States Government to 

2 engage regional partners, including the Association 

3 of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to coordinate 

4 pressure on the Communist Party of Vietnam to end 

5 all oppression of the Vietnamese people and to ad6 dress all related human rights concerns; 

7 (8) condemns the United Nations General As8 sembly for electing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 

9 to the United Nations Human Rights Council 

10 (UNHRC); and 

11 (9) supports the aspirations of the Vietnamese 

12 people in their struggle for freedom and human 

13 rights. 

Æ 


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