US Embassy in Vietnam, September 12, 2018

We are deeply concerned that a Vietnamese court has convicted Nguyen Trung Truc to 12 years in prison and 5 years’ probation under vague charges of “attempting to overthrow the people’s administration.”

The trend of increased arrests and harsh sentences for peaceful activists in Vietnam is troubling.  We note that Vietnam has convicted some 25 peaceful activists in 2018 alone.

The United States calls on Vietnam to release all prisoners of conscience immediately and to allow all individuals in Vietnam to express their views freely and assemble peacefully without fear of retribution.

We also urge the Vietnamese government to ensure its actions and laws, including the Penal Code, are consistent with the human rights provisions of Vietnam’s constitution and its international obligations and commitments.

Statement from the U.S. Embassy on Vietnam’s Conviction of Peaceful Activist Nguyen Trung Truc