Lofgren Calls for Release of American Citizen by Vietnam on House Floor

Media Contact: Kyra Jennings, 202.225.3072, kyra.jennings@mail.house.gov

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) gave the following statement on the House Floor today to urge the release of San Jose resident Cong Thanh Do from custody in Vietnam:

Click on picture to watch Rep. Lofgren’s speech

“Mr. Speaker, on August 14 the Communist government in Vietnam arrested an American, my constituent, Cong Thanh Do while he was visiting as a tourist in Vietnam with his family.

“It took two weeks for the Vietnamese government to even allow the State Department to meet with Mr. Do. The State Department has repeatedly assured me that Mr. Do is nothing more than a peaceful democracy and human rights activist who has written articles that he then posted on the internet while he was living in the United States.

“The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has had the gall to keep this American citizen imprisoned and incommunicado for nearly a month at the same time they’re making gestures to the United States government suggesting that they should have permanent normal trade relations with us. It’s absolutely unbelievable that the communist government would think we would entertain that while they keep our American locked up.”