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Press Release
NEWS FROM:
U.S. Rep. Ed Royce
California's 40th district representative, 2202 Rayburn Building, Washington,
D.C. http://www.house.gov/royce
For Immediate Release Contact: Bill Cooper/Julianne Lignelli
July 16, 2003 714-992-8081/202-225-4111
A strike for freedom...
Vietnam Human Rights Act
Passes House
Legislation to Promote Human Rights in Vietnam included in Foreign Relations
Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep Ed Royce (R-CA-40) co-authored legislation to bring
attention to the abysmal human rights record of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam. It passed the House during action on the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act [H.R. 1950]. The Vietnam Human Rights Act was introduced by
Royce in April and was included as an amendment to the larger foreign relations
bill.
"Today's vote was a vote of support for all those struggling for human rights
and democracy in Vietnam. The stories of persecution and torture at the hands of
Vietnam's communist rulers are staggering and appalling. Innocent people in
Vietnam are persecuted because of their religion, ethnicity or pro-democracy
beliefs. This bill is a strike for freedom," said Royce.
In an effort to promote religious freedom and democracy in Vietnam, the bill
will prohibit non-humanitarian U.S. aid from being provided to Vietnam unless
the Vietnamese government begins freeing political prisoners and respecting the
rights of ethnic minorities.
The bill also provides additional funding for Radio Free Asia (RFA) to overcome
jamming efforts by the Vietnamese government. "RFA will now be better able to
bring objective news - the truth - to the Vietnamese people," said Royce
Royce noted that the base text of the bill includes provisions to create an
office of Global Internet Freedom. Vietnam has recently launched a crackdown on
Internet usage to oppress free speech. Cyber cafe owners and Internet service
providers are now required by law to monitor customers' activities and prevent
distribution of unsanctioned material.
"Last year, a young political dissident was sentenced to four years in prison
for publishing an essay online. He joins a growing list of students imprisoned
for expressing support for either democracy or free speech on the Internet. This
case sent a clear message to the burgeoning Internet generation that the
Vietnamese government will not tolerate freedom of expression. The number of
people online in Vietnam jumped to 1.3 million in 2002 from only 300,000 in
2001. The Office of Global Internet Freedom, with its mission to counter
Internet jamming and blocking, will bolster those working to promote democracy
and human rights through the Internet," concluded Royce.
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Julianne Lignelli
Press Secretary
U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (CA-40)
2202 Rayburn
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4111 phone
(202) 607-3683 cell
(202) 226-0335 fax
julianne.lignelli@mail.house.gov
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