Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator John McCain and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Chairman Vin Weber are the authors of a letter sent April 12 to the President of Vietnam protesting the March 8 arrest of Le Quoc Quan, a Vietnamese lawyer who was most recently a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at NED.
“Quan impressed all who met him with his integrity, passion for assisting the poor, and commitment to assisting Vietnam’s growth and development,” the letter states. “Throughout his fellowship, Quan was an outstanding representative of Vietnam and its people, winning many friends and bringing great credit to his country. The National Endowment for Democracy is honored to have hosted him.
“We cannot emphasize strongly enough our deep concern over Quan’s arrest and the dark cloud that his continued detention casts over the image of Vietnam and the prospects for improved ties between our countries. We call upon you to make all necessary arrangements for his swift release.”
Albright and McCain serve as Chairmen of the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute respectively, which are key partners of the National Endowment for Democracy. Today’s letter is an important element of an international campaign to protest the recent human rights crackdown in Vietnam, and the arrest of Le Quoc Quan in particular.
