Human Rights Activists to Hold Press Conference

House Members, Human Rights Activists to Hold Press Conference on Eve of Vietnamese Foreign Minister's Visit to Washington

Importance: High

For Immediate Release

Contact: Patrick Creamer (202) 225-3765

*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

U.S. House Members, Human Rights Activists to Call for Human Rights Reform in Vietnam on Eve of Vietnamese Foreign Minister's Visit to Washington

WASHINGTON - Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and human rights activists will hold a press conference tomorrow to call on Secretary of

State Condoleezza Rice to press for an end to the human rights abuses-including recent arrests of pro-democracy advocates and continued religious persecution-in Vietnam during her visit with the Vietnamese foreign minister this week.

Secretary Rice is set to meet with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and

Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in Washington this Thursday and the press conference will focus on the issues and instances of particular human rights abuses that U.S. House members want Secretary Rice to address during her meeting.

PARTICIPANTS:

* U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the House Vietnam Caucus

* U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Co-Chair of the House Vietnam Caucus

* U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)

* Helen Ngo, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam

* Nguyen Dinh Thang, Boat People SOS

***Other participants invited, but not yet confirmed

WHEN: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 11:00 AM

WHERE: Cannon Terrace (The elevated terrace adjacent to the Cannon House Office Building's entrance at Independence and New Jersey Avenues)

Patrick J. Creamer

Communications Director

Office of Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ-04)

2373 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone: (202) 225-3765

Fax: (202) 225-7768

For the latest news on Rep. Smith, please visit www.house.gov/chrissmith