Democratic Representative Loretta Sanchez, co-chair of the US Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, said in a statement late Wednesday that she and her colleagues would "jointly condemn Vietnam's abysmal human rights record."

"The government of Vietnam continues to disregard the basic civil and political liberties of Vietnam's people, many of whom are non-violently protesting their lack of basic rights," she said.

Sanchez said the US lawmakers would call for the release of more than 100 non-violent protesters "persecuted for challenging the Communist Party" and urged Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet to "not only listen to our concerns, but act on them."

Each September 2, Vietnam grants amnesty to some prisoners in honor of the communist country's National Day.

National Day is celebrated in remembrance of the declaration of independence made by revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh on September 2, 1945, even though the war against colonial French forces only ended in 1954.

Sanchez's office said that many of the prisoners at the heart of Thursday's appeal "are being held for criticising Vietnam's government -- an action perceived to be a threat to the state."

The US State Department said in its annual global report on human rights in February that Vietnam's record was "unsatisfactory," citing police and government corruption and restrictions on political opposition.

Vietnam immediately rejected the findings as "biased remarks based on erroneous information."

Agence France Presse - July 31, 2009