A Vietnamese American from Orange, California is expected to face trial in Vietnam on accusations of anti-government activities.
According to the OC Register, Michael Nguyen has been detained in Vietnam for nearly a year.
Nguyen was in Vietnam last July with his family when police arrested him for suspicious activities against the government of Vietnam, NBC reports. If convicted, the U.S. citizen can face a potential death sentence.
Family members of Nguyen say he was not involved in politics and claim he is innocent. They believe he may have been grouped with Vietnamese citizens who protested groundwater contamination.
According to Time, the 55-year old traveled with two activists who were also arrested. Ever since a new prime minister took leadership in Vietnam three years ago, the country has taken heightened measures to find dissident groups, according to the same article.
The family hopes that Nguyen will receive a fair trial. Nguyen’s wife, Helen, attended President Trump’s State of the Union address in order to raise awareness about her husband.
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