19-9-2023 (WASHINGTON) Two Vietnamese activists, who the Biden administration believes were unjustly detained by the Vietnamese government, are being relocated to the United States as part of an agreement negotiated prior to President Biden’s recent visit to Hanoi, according to US officials who spoke to Reuters.
The individuals include a human rights lawyer who advocated for police accountability and a Catholic parishioner who was evicted from his home. Alongside their families, they are leaving Vietnam and are expected to seek resettlement in the United States under the “Priority 1” refugee program. Although the activists were not imprisoned, they were previously prevented from leaving Vietnam.
Before President Biden’s visit, Vietnam’s government had also agreed to release two Vietnamese activists who were imprisoned and sought by the United States, as confirmed by a US official. Additionally, the Vietnamese government signed a private agreement, the details of which have not been independently reviewed by Reuters, to address topics such as religious freedom, non-governmental organization (NGO) operations, prison conditions, and labor laws. These aspects of the private agreement were not previously reported. The agreements were reached as Vietnam elevated its diplomatic status with the United States to the highest level, alongside China and Russia, during President Biden’s trip, where he endorsed Vietnam’s vision as a high-tech leader.
These developments come amid criticism of the Biden administration’s approach to diplomacy with countries like Vietnam, India, and Saudi Arabia, whose governments have been accused of denying political freedoms enjoyed in the Western world. The administration has also faced scrutiny over its negotiations surrounding a prisoner exchange with Iran.
The Vietnamese prisoners involved in these recent developments include a legal scholar with a focus on religion who was released to Germany, as well as another individual who was sentenced for tax evasion related to their NGO.
While the identities of the four individuals have not been disclosed due to diplomatic and security sensitivities, the names of the two released prisoners are known. Legal advocate Nguyen Bac Truyen confirmed his release and his travel with his wife to Germany earlier this month. The release of independent journalist Mai Phan Loi was also confirmed earlier in the month.
The human rights community in Vietnam views the situation there as dire. According to Human Rights Watch, Vietnam is currently holding at least 159 political prisoners and detaining an additional 22 individuals. The country has reportedly sentenced 15 people to lengthy prison terms without fair trials this year. Furthermore, Vietnam is in the process of drafting new rules that would restrict freedom of expression online, including banning social media users who publish news-related content without being registered as journalists.
Ben Swanton, co-director of Project 88, a rights advocacy organization focused on Vietnam, criticized President Biden’s decision to upgrade diplomatic ties with Vietnam, stating that it occurred during a period of harsh crackdowns on activism, dissent, and civil society.
It is common for Vietnam to release political prisoners ahead of presidential visits. In this case, Biden administration officials pushed for exit visas as an additional step during the final negotiations over the joint statement and trip logistics. According to a US official, the individuals being relocated are “representative of a much larger group that we believe should be free.”
The US officials expressed hope that discussions on human rights issues would continue in annual rights dialogues with Vietnam, as well as in ongoing talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Vietnamese counterpart, Bui Thanh Son.
