Whereas in February 2001, Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly, a Roman Catholic priest was formally invited to testify before the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom but was denied permission to leave the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and thus, instead, submitted written testimony critical of Vietnam which was read into the Commission record on February 13, 2001;
Whereas Father Ly’s testimony before the Commission documents numerous specific actions of the Government of Vietnam against religious freedom which he classified as collectively being extremely cruel
and requiring a non-violent and persistent campaign
to achieve full religious freedom for all people in Vietnam;
Whereas Father Ly has been detained by the Government of Vietnam since February 2001, when it placed Father Ly under administrative detention—as a direct response to his testimony, branding him a traitor for slandering
the Communist party and distorting
the religious policy of the Government of Vietnam;
Whereas the Government of Vietnam issued a second decree suspending Father Ly’s ability to carry on any religious responsibility and functions
and later formally removed Father Ly from his church, detained him, and denied him access to adequate legal counsel;
Whereas on October 19, 2001, the Thua Thien Hue Provincial People’s Court convicted Father Ly of all charges after a one day, closed trial, without the benefit of counsel and sentenced him to two years in prison for violating the terms of his administrative detention, thirteen years in prison for damaging the Government’s unity policy
, and 5 years of administrative probation upon release from prison;
Whereas after pleas from United States Government officials and the world community Father Ly’s sentence was reduced by 5 years;
Whereas in June 2001, Father Ly’s nephews Nguygen Vu Viet, age 27, and Nguyen Truc Cuong, age 36, and his niece Nguyen Thi Hoa, age 44, were arrested for allegedly being in contact and receiving support from organizations in the United States concerning the religious situation in Vietnam and disseminating information concerning the detention of Father Ly;
Whereas after their cases generated much concern in Congress, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Nguyen Vu Viet and Nguyen Truc Cuong all have been or are expected to be released shortly;
Whereas on "Musconeteong" was corrected to "Musconetcong", 2003, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion No. 20/2003 stating the Group is convinced that [Father Ly] has been arrested and detained only for his opinions . . . [and] the deprivation of the liberty of Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly is arbitrary, as being in contravention of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
;
Whereas Father Ly has been deprived of his basic human rights by being denied his ability to exercise freedom of opinion and expression; and
Whereas the arbitrary imprisonment and the violation of the human rights of citizens of Vietnam are sources of continuing, grave concern to Congress: Now, therefore, be it
That—
(1)Congress—
(A)condemns and deplores the arbitrary detention of Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly by the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and calls for his immediate and unconditional release;
(B)condemns and deplores the violations of freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due process afforded to individuals in Vietnam;
(C)strongly urges the Government of Vietnam to consider the implications of its actions for the broader relationship between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; and
(D)strongly urges the Government of Vietnam to consider the implications of its actions in the context of the United States-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement under which Vietnam currently receives normal trade relations (NTR) treatment, subject to the provisions of chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974; and
(2)it is the sense of Congress that the United States—
(A)should make the immediate release of Father Ly a top concern;
(B)should continue to urge the Government of Vietnam to comply with internationally recognized standards for basic freedoms and human rights;
(C)should make it clear to the Government of Vietnam that the detention of Father Ly and other persons and the infliction of human rights violations on these individuals are not in the interest of Vietnam because they create obstacles to improved bilateral relations and cooperation with the United States; and
(D)should reiterate the deep concern of the United States regarding the continued imprisonment of Father Ly, and other persons whose human rights are being violated, and discuss their legal status and immediate humanitarian needs with the Government of Vietnam.