Rep. Derek Tran Recognizes Vietnam Human Rights Day, Urges Release of Prisoners of Conscience in Vietnam

Washington, DC- In observance of Vietnam Human Rights Day, Rep. Derek Tran issued the following statement calling for the release of imprisoned journalist Le Huu Minh Tuan and all prisoners of conscience currently detained in Vietnam.

"Vietnam Human Rights Day is a stark reminder of the cruel repression and censorship that remain all too common in Vietnam," said Rep. Derek Tran. "Hundreds of innocent people remain imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for using their voices and speaking out against the regime. This treatment is unjust and wrong. I will continue fighting to ensure that people like Le Huu Minh Tuan and all the prisoners of conscience who bravely defend human rights can live in freedom and dignity."

Vietnam's government has received consistent criticism for its human rights record, particularly regarding its treatment of political dissent. Le Huu Minh Tuan, a Vietnamese journalist and activist, is one of many imprisoned by Vietnamese authorities for expressing opposition to the communist government. Since being detained in 2020, Le Huu Minh Tuan has been sentenced to 11 years of prison, where he faces unsanitary living conditions and worsening health concerns that remain unaddressed. He and the hundreds of other prisoners of conscience unjustly detained under questionable circumstances are denied due process and are often subject to harassment, intimidation, and abuse by Vietnamese authorities.

Rep. Tran is working with Pen America, a nonprofit organization fighting to protect global press freedom, to secure Le Huu Minh Tuan's release. Rep. Tran also serves as Mr. Le's official sponsor through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project, which formally allows Members of Congress to shine a light on prisoners of conscience across the world and encourages accountability for unjust treatment. As his sponsor, Rep. Tran wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubiorequesting immediate assistance in ensuring Le Huu Minh Tuan's freedom.

Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees and the only Vietnamese American currently serving in Congress. He is the first Vietnamese American to represent CA-45 - home to the world's largest Vietnamese diaspora. Rep. Tran remains committed to working toward the release of prisoners of conscience in Vietnam and to defending free expression around the world.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.