Text: Amnesty for Vietnamese Political Prisoners Welcome, U.S. Says

 

(Five prominent activists among more than 8,000 released) (220)

 

The United States welcomes the government of Vietnam's decision to grant

amnesty to 8,325 prisoners, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher

said in a January 31 statement.

 

  Five prominent activists for human rights and religious freedom are

among those who will be released:  Nguyen Van Ly (also known as Father

Ly), Nguyen Dan Que (Dr. Que), Huynh Van Ba, Truong Van Duc, and Nguyen

Dinh Huy.

 

  Following is the full text of the statement:

 

(begin text)

 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

 Office of the Spokesman

 For Immediate Release

 January 31, 2005

 2005/110

 

  STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

 

  Vietnam:  Prisoner Amnesty

 

  On January 31, 2005, the Government of Vietnam announced an amnesty for

8,325 prisoners.  This includes five prominent activists for human rights

and religious freedom:  Nguyen Van Ly (also known as Father Ly), Nguyen

Dan Que (Dr. Que), Huynh Van Ba (also known as Thich Thanh Tu or Thich

Thien Minh), Mr. Truong Van Duc and Mr. Nguyen Dinh Huy.

 

  The United States welcomes the planned release of these prisoners of

conscience and urges the Government of Vietnam to permit these and other

individuals to express their political views freely and to practice

religion peacefully in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.

 

(end text)

 

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.

Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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