(H) Article 258 (relating to abusing demo-
cratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of 
the state). 
(5) In 2013, the Prime Minister of Vietnam 
issued Decree 72 to further restrict internet freedom 
in Vietnam. 
(b) REPEAL OF CERTAIN LAWS AND ADMINISTRA-
TIVE DECREES.—The Secretary of State, in discussions 
with the Government of Vietnam, should— 
(1) urge the Government of Vietnam to repeal 
laws and administrative decrees restricting freedom 
of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in 
Vietnam, including laws relating to ‘‘propaganda 
against the state’’ and ‘‘taking advantage of demo-
cratic freedoms to injure the national unity’’; and 
(2) urge the Government of Vietnam— 
(A) to stop arresting prodemocracy blog-
gers and other individuals who use the internet 
to criticize the government; and 
(B) to release those prodemocracy bloggers 
who are imprisoned. 
(c) RELEASE OF POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS PRIS-
ONERS.—The Secretary of State, in discussions with the 
Government of Vietnam, should seek, as a critical condi-
tion of stronger United States-Vietnam relations, the im-
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mediate and unconditional release all political and reli-
gious prisoners, including Nguyen Van Dai, Dao Quang 
Thuc, Tran Thi Xuan, Nguyen Van Tuc, Nguyen Bac 
Truyen, Pham Van Troi, Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, 
Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Trung Truc, and the Most 
Venerable Thich Quang Do. 
(d) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—Officials of the Gov-
ernment of Vietnam who are responsible for or complicit 
in torture, extrajudicial killings, the arbitrary detention of 
political and religious prisoners, or other gross violations 
of internationally-recognized human rights should be in-
vestigated by the United States and, as warranted, sanc-
tions should be imposed consistent with section 1263 of 
the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
(subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 
2656 note). 
SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The promotion and protection of the univer-
sally recognized right to the freedom of religion is a 
priority of United States foreign policy as stated in 
section 402 of the International Religious Freedom 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442) and the Bipartisan 
Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
Act of 2015 (title I of Public Law 114–26; 19 
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U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) which requires the Administra-
tion to take religious freedom into account when ne-
gotiating trade agreements. 
(2) Countries that protect religious freedom are 
more prosperous, stable, peaceful and democratic. 
Thus, the severe restrictions faced by religious 
groups in Vietnam, such as members of the United 
Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), Catholics, 
and independent Hao Hoa Buddhists, Cao Dai, and 
Protestants groups, are detrimental to the interests 
of both the United States and Vietnam. 
(3) Since 2016, the Government of Vietnam has 
reportedly stepped up its efforts to force Monta-
gnard and Hmong Christians to renounce their 
faith, expropriate lands and other real properties be-
longing to independent religious communities, de-
stroy Hoa Hao Buddhist and Cao Dai houses of 
worship, and arrest and detain religious leaders. Re-
ligious leaders and advocates of religious freedom re-
main in prison. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—Since the protection of 
religious freedom is vital to peace, stability, and prosperity 
and countries with the highest levels of restrictions on reli-
gious freedom are often those countries seeking to under-
mine United States national interests, it is the policy of 
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the United States to prioritize religious freedom in bilat-
eral relations, including with the Government of Vietnam, 
by fully implementing the provisions of the Frank R. Wolf 
International Religious Freedom Act (Public Law 114– 
281) and to strategically employ sanctions and other tools 
under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.). 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) Vietnam should be designated as a country 
of particular concern for religious freedom under 
section 402(b) of the International Religious Free-
dom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442(b)) because there 
are a significant number of individuals imprisoned 
for their religious activity or advocacy for religious 
freedom and for ‘‘systematic, egregious, and ongo-
ing’’ violations of religious freedom; 
(2) the President, in making the annual des-
ignations under section 402(b) of such Act, should 
take into account the annual report of the United 
States Commission on International Religious Free-
dom under section 203 of such Act and the Commis-
sion’s assessment that the designation of Vietnam as 
a country of particular concern for religious freedom 
from 2004 to 2006 led to tangible improvements in 
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religious freedom conditions while trade and security 
cooperation increased; and 
(3) since the Government of Vietnam tightly 
controls religious institutions and then persecutes 
those who establish or operate independent religious 
institutions and genuinely nongovernmental organi-
zations, the Secretary of State should— 
(A) use all available diplomatic, develop-
ment, economic assistance, and political tools to 
ensure that independent religious and civil soci-
ety organizations can operate freely and without 
restriction in Vietnam; and 
(B) raise these issues in all appropriate 
statements, dialogues, reports, and negotiations 
between the United States and Vietnam. 
SEC. 5. INTERNET FREEDOM. 
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that Vietnam con-
tinues to have one of the world’s most restrictive internet 
environments, with pervasive filtering of content and the 
frequent arrests of bloggers and others whose only offense 
is to advocate online for positions different than those held 
by the government. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.— 
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