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William Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American citizen who was arrested by police during a demonstration in Vietnam, faces his first trial on Thursday in Hanoi. As he peacefully protested in the streets last month he was arrested on a charge of disturbing the public order. Nguyen's body flailed as he was taken into custody.

On the morning of his trial, which is set to begin Thursday, nineteen members of Congress are pleading with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to use "all diplomatic means" to secure the 32-year-old's release.

"As elected representative of Mr. Nguyen's family or the greater Vietnamese-American community, we remain very concerned about the seriousness of the pending charges and the sentences he faces," wrote the lawmakers. "Consistent with the mission of your department, there is no doubt the a favorable resolution to this matter will advance the national interest of the United States and its people."

"There is a real human element to this case because we all deeply identify with William," said Eric Harris, communications director for Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, who represents Nguyen's district. "We are millennials, too, and believe in movements to bring change outside of our borders. Many of us have been here past 9 p.m. most nights since William was put behind bars."

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