International Christian Concern 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, #941 Washington, DC 20006 301-585-5915 ♦ icc@persecution.org
PETITION CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION ON PUIH H’BAT
Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong Embassy of Vietnam in the United State of America 1233 20th St. NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20036
Dear Mr. Quoc Cuong, It is with great concern that we petition your government to undertake immediate action to release information on a prisoner of concern currently imprisoned in an unknown location in Vietnam: Mrs. Puih H’Bat. Puih H’Bat is a Degar woman who was arrested on April 11, 2008 from her home in Ploi Bang village, Ia Chia commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai province, and given a five year sentence for “destruction of the unity of the people’s solidarity” for her crimes of hosting illegal religious activities. Since her arrest, your government has withheld all information of her whereabouts and status from her family and the international community. We urge you to uphold the rights of your citizens, including those under your penal system, and allow the Degar community within Vietnam and the concerned international community to be informed on the status of Mrs. Puih H’Bat – including the location of her prison, expected release date, and health status. We also exhort you to allow her family visitation rights while she continues to serve out her sentence. The withholding of information on Mrs. Puih H’Bat is not only of grave concern to the international community for the violations of the rights of both prisoners and their communities that ought to be upheld by the Vietnamese government, but also as it is an indicator of the continued repression of the religious freedoms and human rights of Vietnamese citizens by your government. Though Vietnam made significant progress in expanding religious freedoms for its citizens, leading to the lifting of the designation of your nation as a “Country of Particular Concern” in 2006, this case brings into question your commitment to ensuring the ongoing religious freedoms and human rights of your citizens. Rather than regress and warrant once again the CPC designation, we urge your nation to move towards providing greater freedoms and rights to your citizens, especially religious minorities. Again we urge your government to take immediate action to release information on Mrs. Puih H’Bat as a sign of your commitment to the improvement of the human rights and freedoms of your citizens. Sincerely, International Christian Concern (and attached)
CC: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Senator Jim Webb, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs Senator James Inhofe, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs Congressman Donald Manzullo, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific
PETITION FOR INFORMATION ON VIETNAMESE PRISONER, PUIH H’BAT (Please Print, Do Not Sign) Full Name & Street Address
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
City, State, Zip
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates
PLEASE PRINT
Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
Sign Me Up For
Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates
PLEASE PRINT
Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
PLEASE PRINT
Free Newsletter “Concern” General E-mail Updates