Representatives Adopt Vietnamese Political Prisoners
Twenty-one members of the U.S. House of Representatives have teamed up to sponsor various imprisoned activists from around the world. The bipartisan adoption program started in December of 2012 and aims to address the issue of human rights abuses falling away from the national and international spotlights.
Representative Alan Lowenthal of California has adopted Nguyen Tien Trung, who is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Vietnam for his role in pro-democracy activism there. Rep. David Price of North Carolina has adopted Cu Huy Ha Vu. Additionally, Do Thi Minh Hanh, Ta Phong Tan, and Father Nguyen Van Ly have also been adopted by Reps. Chris Van Hollen (MD), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), and Chris Smith (NJ), respectively.
Nguyen Tien Trung, depicted here, was adopted by Amnesty International France and projected onto the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris late last year
Vietnam topped the adoption list with five political prisoners, tying China and Iran. The adopters can use their influence to further raise awareness for the prisoners and press for their release both at home and abroad.
The 88 Project would like to thank these Representatives for their support of political prisoners. We look forward to seeing the adoption program– and its successes– grow.
To see the full gallery with pictures of the activists and their Congressmen, click here.
Read more about the inception and effects of the adoption program.
