[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 672 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 672

   Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to 
       release imprisoned bloggers and respect Internet freedom.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2009

 Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California (for herself, Mr. Cao, and Ms. Zoe 
 Lofgren of California) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to 
       release imprisoned bloggers and respect Internet freedom.

Whereas the Internet is a tool to exercise freedom of expression and 
        association, both of which are basic human rights;
Whereas the Internet is a medium to share information freely, promote social and 
        economic development, and connect Vietnamese citizens domestically and 
        internationally;
Whereas the Government of Vietnam created the Administration Agency for Radio, 
        Television and Electronics Information in October 2008 and issued 
        Circular 07 in December 2008 to restrict Internet freedom, censor 
        private blogs, and compel information technology companies to cooperate 
        with government efforts to monitor personal information of Internet 
        users;
Whereas the Government of Vietnam has imprisoned bloggers and numerous democracy 
        activists who have distributed their peaceful views over the Internet;
Whereas the Government of Vietnam continues to firewall external websites 
        promoting democracy and human rights; and
Whereas these actions violate individuals' right to freedom of speech and 
        expression: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the right of Vietnamese citizens to access 
        websites of their choosing and to have the freedom to share and 
        publish information over the Internet;
            (2) calls on the Government of Vietnam to repeal Circular 
        07, Article 88, and similar statutes that restrict the 
        Internet, so as to be in line with the International Covenant 
        on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Socialist Republic 
        of Vietnam is a signatory;
            (3) calls on the Government of Vietnam to become a 
        responsible member state of the international community by 
        respecting individuals' freedom of speech, freedom of press, 
        and freedom of political association; and
            (4) calls on the Government of Vietnam to release all 
        political prisoners, including but not limited to the following 
        bloggers and cyber activists--
                    (A) Le Cong Dinh;
                    (B) Le Nguyen Sang;
                    (C) Le Thi Cong Nhan;
                    (D) Nguyen Van Hai (Dieu Cay);
                    (E) Nguyen Xuan Nghia;
                    (F) Ngo Quynh;
                    (G) Nguyen Ngoc Quang;
                    (H) Nguyen Thi Hong;
                    (I) Nguyen Van Dai;
                    (J) Pham Ba Hai;
                    (K) Pham Thanh Nghien;
                    (L) Pham Van Troi;
                    (M) Tran Huynh Duy Thuc;
                    (N) Truong Minh Duc;
                    (O) Truong Quoc Huy;
                    (P) Vu Hoang Hai;
                    (Q) Nguyen Tien Trung; and
                    (R) Vu Hung.
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