Sanchez Outraged by Police Brutality in Vietnam

Press Release

SANCHEZ OUTRAGED BY POLICE BRUTALITY IN VIETNAM

Outraged by reports of police brutality at a peaceful protest in Vietnam last week, Rep. Loretta Sanchez wrote a letter to President Triet of Vietnam expressing her disappointment, and urged him to keep his promise in changing Vietnam's oppressive human rights record. Approximately 30 Vietnamese citizens were severely injured by police during the peaceful sit-in of over 1,700 citizens in attendance.

"I was outraged to learn about the incident, and that the Government of Vietnam had gone back on its promise to change its human rights record- a promise Triet made with President Bush this past June," said Sanchez.

The two leaders have expressed the importance of continuing to make progress in the bilateral human rights dialogue and reaffirmed that it should be conducted in a comprehensive, constructive and results-oriented manner.

"The Government of Vietnam should be held accountable for their actions," urged Sanchez. "As a trading partner with the United States they must comply with human rights standards."

Sanchez, an outspoken advocate for human rights led congressional efforts in opposing Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007. Since then, Vietnamese authorities have launched the worst crackdown on human rights activists in twenty years. Sanchez also continues to support the reinstatement of Vietnam to the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), a designation for countries that have "engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom." Vietnam was taken off the CPC list last year by the Bush administration despite many warnings.

Source