Dr. Ngai Nguyen, the Vice General Secretary of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, (DPV) today expressed his thanks and gratitude to the United States Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, for working tirelessly to secure the release of Mr. Charlie Ly.  According to Dr. Nguyen, “without the intervention of the U.S. Government and our Department of State, and particularly our Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael Michalak and Consul General Ken Fairfax, I am afraid to think what might have happened to Charlie Ly while being held in Vietnam.”

After the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. was advised by the Democratic Party of Vietnam of Mr. Ly’s confinement, the State Department contacted the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, which talked with the government of Vietnam.  After several days of discussions, two U.S. officers escorted Mr. Ly to the airport yesterday in HCMC for his flight back to the United States.

Charlie Ly arrived in New York City Thursday night and was greeted by his family and hundreds of friends from the Vietnamese-American community. Mr. Ly thanked everyone for their prayers, thoughts and support during this difficult period.

For background, on July 24, as Mr. Ly was preparing to depart HCMC for his home in Philadelphia, the government of Vietnam confiscated his American passport, placed him under house arrest in his hotel, and interrogated him for many hours daily during these last three weeks.

The Vietnamese government said he would only be allowed to leave the country if he agreed to two provisions:

1.       he must admit that he went to Vietnam for the specific purpose of visiting a member of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, who was just released from a Vietnamese jail                      

and

2.       upon arrival back in the United States, that he would not engage in political activities against the government of Vietnam.

Mr. Ly advised the Vietnam government that he would not sign their “confession,” so, since July 24, he had not been allowed to leave his hotel, nor depart the country.

The Mission of the Democratic Party of Vietnam is, through peaceful means, to secure democracy, human rights and free and fair elections in Vietnam.

Ngai Nguyen, Vice General Secretary

Member of the Standing Central Committee

Democratic Party of Vietnam

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CONTACT:         

Dr. Ngai Nguyen 1-408-603-5030

ngainguyen@aol.com