Cong Thanh Do facts for kids

Cong Thanh Do (born around 1959) is a Vietnamese American human rights activist. This means he works to protect and promote the basic rights and freedoms of people. He believes in a democratic system for Vietnam, which is a country in Southeast Asia.

Cong Thanh Do: A Human Rights Activist

Early Life and Activism

Cong Thanh Do left his home country of South Vietnam in 1982. This was after the Fall of Saigon, when the communist North Vietnamese Army took control. He moved to the United States and settled in San Jose, California, where he worked as an engineer.

Mr. Do strongly believes that Vietnam should have a multi-party democratic system. This means a system where different political groups can exist and people can vote for their leaders in free elections. He has been accused by the Vietnamese government of trying to change their government.

Arrest and Release

In August 2006, while on holiday in Phan Thiết, Vietnam, Mr. Do was arrested. He was held in jail in Ho Chi Minh City without a trial. The government claimed he and two other people were printing and sharing materials that were against the communist government. They also claimed he was involved in a plan against the Embassy of the United States, Saigon. His wife was questioned about his connection to a group called the Government of Free Vietnam.

Why Was He Arrested?

Cong Thanh Do was arrested because the Vietnamese government believed he was working against them. They accused him of spreading ideas that challenged their rule. He was also accused of planning actions against the US Embassy, though he maintained his work was peaceful.

International Support for His Release

While he was in prison, Mr. Do went on a hunger strike for 38 days, drinking only water and sometimes milk. Many people around the world protested his imprisonment. A petition was sent to the US Congress, asking them to stop an economic trade agreement between the US and Vietnam. This agreement, called Permanent Normal Trade Relations, was important for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization.

Because of this international pressure, the Vietnamese government released Mr. Do from jail. He was sent back to the United States on September 21, 2006.

Continuing His Work

After his release, Cong Thanh Do continued his work as a democracy activist. He writes about political topics and shares his ideas online and in Vietnamese newspapers in the United States and other countries. He uses the pen name "Nam Tran" for these writings.

He is a founding and senior member of the Democratic Party of Vietnam. In 2016, he ran for a position in the California State Assembly, representing District 27, but he was not elected.

What Others Said

Many people spoke out against Cong Thanh Do's arrest.

• US Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren said, "The Vietnamese government has now taken the unprecedented step of imprisoning a United States citizen who states that he is being held solely because of his pro-democratic, non-violent views."
• Van Tran, a Vietnamese-American state assemblyman from Southern California, urged Congress not to give Vietnam permanent normal trading relations until Mr. Do was freed. He explained that this economic status was a necessary step for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization.