Father Ly was sentenced in 2007 to 5 years in prison without legal representation for conspiracy against the government for speaking his mind in a peaceful and non-threatening manner. Vietnam requires churches of all faiths to register and submit sermons for pre-approval before they can be "lawfully" delivered.

The laws are so restrictive that families are not allowed to pray in their own homes with friends or relatives. That is also considered a treasonous act against the state.

The communist government's genocide against the Christian Montagnard community, who supported the United States during the Vietnam War, has reduced from a population of 1.5 million in 1975 to less than 750,000 today.

All religions have suffered severe religious persecution at the hands of this brutal communist regime. John McCain was instrumental in normalizing relations with Vietnam in 1995 when he convinced Republicans in Congress to put the war behind them giving President Clinton and John Kerry the cover they needed. Subsequently, that resulted in World Trade Organization status last year giving McCain's communist friends everything they ever wanted.

Instead of improving human rights and religious freedoms they went the other direction which resulted in the worst crackdown in 20 years according to Amnesty International. Unfortunately, John McCain has been communist Vietnam's best friend voting in their best interest for over 20 years as a Congressman and Senator.

John McCain, the self-proclaimed "straight-talking maverick" should use his special relations with his Hanoi friends to secure the release of Father Ly and the many other religious leaders of all faiths imprisoned for exercising their God given right to worship in peace.