4 inmates on hunger strike in Vietnamese prison

By RFA Vietnamese2024.11.22

Four prisoners began a hunger strike at a central Vietnam prison in early November to protest the confiscation of paper, pens and books from inmates, a relative of one of the prisoners told Radio Free Asia.

Three have stopped their strike, but Trinh Ba Phuong, who is serving a 10-year sentence at An Diem Prison in Quang Nam province for a “propaganda against the State,” was continuing to refuse to eat as of Tuesday, the relative said, requesting anonymity for security reasons.

The other three prisoners – Phan Cong Hai, Hoang Duc Binh and Nguyen Thai Binh – joined Phuong at the start of the hunger strike on Nov. 1.

Hai was released on Tuesday after completing his five-year sentence for “propaganda against the State.” He told family members of the hunger strike just after he was set free, the relative told RFA.

Hoang Duc Binh, who is serving 14-years for “abusing democratic freedoms” and “resisting enforcement officers,” joined the hunger strike because he hasn’t been allowed to have family visitors, Phuong’s relative said.

But Hoang Duc Binh stopped the strike after six days due to stomach pain and kidney stones, while Hai and Nguyen Thai Binh had to stop their hunger strike for health reasons on about Nov. 15, the relative said.

RFA was unable to contact Hai to ask more about the situation in the prison. Attempts to connect to An Diem Prison via a phone number posted on the internet were also unsuccessful.

RFA also tried to contact the People’s Procuracy of Quang Nam province. The person who answered a phone call asked the reporter to go in person to the agency’s headquarters to request information about the hunger strike.

Translated by Hanh Seide. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

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