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Vietnam free high-profile blogger, US call for more releases

Vietnam has freed a high-profile blogger who has traveled to the United States, which is pressing for more such dissidents to be released.

FP Archives|Sep 21, 2015, 09:24:42 IST

Hanoi: Vietnam has freed a high-profile blogger who has traveled to the United States, which is pressing for more such dissidents to be released.Terry White, a U.S. embassy public affairs officer, says the U.S. welcomes the release of Ta Phong Tan and calls on the Vietnamese government to free all people imprisoned for expressing their freedoms and to allow them to express their political views without fear.Tan, a former policewoman, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2012 on charges of anti-state propaganda.She arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday.Human Rights Watch says her release continues Vietnam's cynical practice of releasing high-profile dissidents from prison directly into forced exile, with immediate departure from the country being the price of their freedom.AP

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