IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 243 
Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to imme-
diately and unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van 
Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and other political prisoners and prisoners 
of conscience, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2007 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. 
MCCOTTER, Mr. WOLF, Mr. RENZI, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of Cali-
fornia, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, and Mr. PASCRELL) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet-
nam to immediately and unconditionally release Father 
Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, 
and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, 
and for other purposes. 
Whereas, on February 18, 2007, Vietnamese police raided the 
parish house of Father Nguyen Van Ly and confiscated 
computers, telephones, more than 100 mobile phone 
cards, and more than 200 kilograms of documents; 
Whereas the police moved Father Ly to the remote location 
of Ben Cui in central Vietnam, where he is under house 
arrest; 
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•HRES 243 IH 
Whereas Father Ly is a former prisoner of conscience, having 
spent a total of over 13 years in prison since 1983 for 
his advocacy of religious freedom and democracy in Viet-
nam; 
Whereas Father Ly is one of the founders of ‘‘Block 8406’’, 
a democracy movement that started in April 2006 when 
hundreds of people throughout Vietnam signed public pe-
titions calling for democracy and human rights; 
Whereas Father Ly is also a founder of a new political party, 
the Vietnam Progression Party, and one of the primary 
editors of ‘‘Freedom of Speech’’ magazine; 
Whereas, on March 6, 2007, Vietnamese police arrested one 
of Vietnam’s few practicing human rights lawyers, 
Nguyen Van Dai, who has defended individuals arrested 
for their human rights and religious activities, is the co- 
founder of the Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam, 
and is one of the principal organizers of the Block 8406 
democracy movement; 
Whereas, on March 6, 2007, Vietnamese police also arrested 
Le Thi Cong Nhan, a human rights lawyer, a member of 
‘‘Block 8406’’, the principal spokesperson for the Pro-
gression Party, and a founder of the Vietnamese Labor 
Movement; 
Whereas Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong 
Nhan have been charged with disseminating propaganda 
against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under article 
88 of the Penal Code; 
Whereas if convicted, they each could be sentenced to up to 
20 years in prison; 
Whereas in none of their activities have Father Ly, Nguyen 
Van Dai, or Le Thi Cong Nhan advocated or engaged in 
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•HRES 243 IH 
violence in their opposition to the Vietnamese Govern-
ment or its policies; 
Whereas the arrest of and charges against Father Ly, 
Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan violate Article 
69 of the Vietnamese Constitution, which states that 
‘‘The citizen shall enjoy freedom of opinion and speech, 
freedom of the press, the right to be informed and the 
right to assemble, form associations and hold demonstra-
tions in accordance with the provisions of the law’’; 
Whereas Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong 
Nhan have been arrested and charged in contravention of 
the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on 
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is 
a state party, specifically Article 18 (freedom of religion), 
Article 19 (freedom of expression) and Article 22 (free-
dom of association); 
Whereas the United State Congress agreed to Vietnam be-
coming an official member of the World Trade Organiza-
tion (WTO) in 2006, amidst assurances that the Viet-
namese Government was steadily improving its human 
rights record and would continue to do so; 
Whereas the group of Asian countries at the United Nations 
have nominated Vietnam as the sole regional candidate 
for a nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security 
Council for the 2008–2009 biennium, and pursuant to 
the United Nations Charter, Vietnam would be required 
to discharge its duties in accordance with the purposes of 
the United Nations, including the promotion and encour-
agement of respect for human rights and fundamental 
freedoms for all; and 
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•HRES 243 IH 
Whereas the arbitrary imprisonment and the violation of the 
human rights of citizens of Vietnam are sources of con-
tinuing, grave concern to Congress, and the arrests of 
Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan are 
part of a trend toward increasing oppression of human 
rights advocates in Vietnam: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) the House of Representatives— 
(A) condemns and deplores the arbitrary 
arrests of Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van 
Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan by the Govern-
ment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and 
calls for their immediate and unconditional re-
lease and the dropping of all criminal charges, 
and for the immediate and unconditional release 
of all other political and religious prisoners; 
(B) condemns and deplores the violations 
of the freedoms of speech, religion, movement, 
association, and the lack of due process af-
forded to individuals in Vietnam; 
(C) challenges the qualifications of Viet-
nam to be a member of the United Nations Se-
curity Council, unless the Government of Viet-
nam begins immediately to respect human 
rights and fundamental freedoms for all within 
its own borders; and 
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