By: Jessica Ties
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
HANOI, Vietnam – Truong Van Suong, a political prisoner who has spent 33 years of his 68 year life in jail, died from medical complications while in detention.
In November 2010, Suong’s family was notified by prison officials that Suong had developed a serious heart condition. As a result of this condition, he was given one year of medical parole.
This parole was spent at a hospital until authorities suddenly re-appeared to return Suong to prison on August 19, just weeks before his passing, against the objection of his family who told authorities that his heart was too fragile to survive the conditions of his imprisonment.
Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch has criticized the Vietnamese government for forcing Suong to return to prison when he “urgently needed proper medical treatment.”
Phil Robertson also stated that “by locking him up again in such terrible health, the government of Vietnam essentially condemned him to die alone, separated from family and friends in his last days.”
Luong Thanh Nghi, Foreign Ministry spokesman, confirmed the death and stated that it came despite receiving hospital attention and returning to prison from medical parole in “stable health”.
Suong served as an officer in Southern Vietnam’s Army during the Vietnam War. When the north invaded Saigon, Suong was forced to spend six years in re-education camp in central Vietnam.
After being released, Suong fled to Thailand and joined the United Front of Patriotic Force for the Liberation of Vietnam in an attempt to bring democracy to Vietnam.
After returning to Vietnam, Suong and 200 other individuals were arrested after a Vietnamese spy informed the government of their involvement with the organization. In 1983 Suong was charged with treason and his involvement in an attempt to overthrow the Vietnamese government for which he was sentenced to life in prison.
Suong is the second political prisoner to die in Vietnam since July.
Human Rights Watch is calling on the Vietnamese government to “…immediately release all political prisoners unconditionally, but they should especially prioritize the release of those with serious health problems so they can receive proper medical treatment.”
For more information, please see:
Forbes – Vietnam Political Prisoner Dies After 33 Years – 13 September 2011
The Guardian – Vietnamese Political Prisoner Truong Van Suong Dies in Detention – 13 September 2011
Voice of America – Vietnamese Prisoner Dies in Prison After Year-Long Medical Parole – 13 September 2011
Radio Free Asia – Prominent Dissident Dies in Jail – 12 September 2011
