[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9296-9297]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           CHRISTIAN PASTOR DUONG KIM KHAI JAILED IN VIETNAM

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, since the early 1990's, Pastor Duong 
Kim Khai has

[[Page 9297]]

been detained or arrested thirteen times. The first time he was 
arrested he was just 14 years old. Usually, he is arrested for simply 
organizing Christian prayer sessions. Most recently, he was arrested in 
August 2010 for his efforts to advocate for religious freedom and 
social justice. The trumped up charge? Attempting to overthrow the 
government.
  For this, he was sentenced to 2-8 years in prison and 3-5 years 
probation and house arrest.
  Unfortunately, his wife, who was denied permission to visit him in 
prison, died before she could see him again. In 2011, the UN Working 
Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled that the Vietnam government's 
detention and conviction of Pastor Duong Kim Khai and six other 
activists were in violation of international law.
  But the State Department refuses to include Vietnam as a Country of 
Particular Concern for religious freedom. The Pastor is not only a 
spiritual leader in his community but he also works to promote 
democracy and help victims of injustice. For example, he has served as 
an advocate for Vietnamese farmers whose land was confiscated by the 
government.
  Pastor Duong Kim Khai's trial was a sham and imprisonment is 
unacceptable. Freedom to worship is a human right and the Vietnamese 
government should immediately release him. Until they do, the State 
Department should call it like it is and recognize Vietnam as a Country 
of Particular Concern.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________