Whereas independent journalists, human rights defenders, religious figures, and dissidents in Vietnam are arrested for exercising their right to freedom of speech; Whereas the Communist Party of Vietnam holds the second highest number of political prisoners of any of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states; Whereas the Ministry of Public Service assaults prisoners to extract information, uses excessive force while on duty, tortures detainees, uses forced labor, and prevents prisoners from having access to health care; Whereas detention centers and prisons in Vietnam lack access to potable water and have poor sanitation facilities, excessive heat during the summer season, and insufficient as well as unclean food; Whereas over 170 Vietnamese political and religious prisoners are currently detained in Vietnam, nearly half of whom were arrested due to expression or activities online; Whereas democracy activist Tran Huynh Duy Thuc was arrested on May 24, 2009, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison; Whereas environmental activist Le Dinh Luong was arrested on July 24, 2017, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison; Whereas Radio Free Asia contributor and journalist Truong Duy Nhat was arrested on January 28, 2019, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam member and journalist Pham Chi Dung was arrested on November 21, 2019, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison; Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam member and journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy was arrested on May 23, 2020, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison; Whereas Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam member and journalist Le Huu Minh Tuan was arrested on June 12, 2020, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison; Whereas land rights activist Can Thi Theu was arrested on June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 8 years in prison; Whereas land rights activist Trinh Ba Phuong was arrested on June 24, 2020, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison