Nguyễn Trung Tôn (Danlambao), Translated by Như Ngọc - My heart really aches when I need to sit here, once again, to respectfully write these words to readers in this forum, human rights organizations, individuals and organizations at home and abroad those who love freedom to raise the emergency alarm alerting everyone about life of the prisoner of conscience Ho Thi Bich Khuong, one of three female prisoners of conscience in Vietnam whose names are recently added to a long list of whom the International Federation for Human Rights requests the Vietnamese authorities to release.
After receiving words from relatives of blogger Ta Phong Tan informing Mrs. Khuong continues to face punishment in solitary confinement, I immediately informed her relatives asking them to make a prompt visit to check out her health condition. However, her older sister, Mrs. Ho Thi Lan, was sick so she asked me to help write a letter for help, which was posted on April 04, 2014.
I helped Mrs. Khuong’s son, Nguyen Trung Duc, arrange a visit on April 7, 2014; returning home, Duc told me what he had learned from the visit as follows:
This morning Mrs. Khuong was escorted by two prisoners on a wheelchair when seeing her son. Through a very weak voice, she tried to tell her son that during a recent prison punishment she asked prison officials to send home a letter and was denied; being very frustrated, she made a protest and was beaten badly. Reportedly, on March 28 or 29, 2014, a female prison warden beat her brutally on her abdomen inflicting excruciating pains. That warden also said, "I can beat up prisoners like you at my will, there is no problem if you are beaten to death." The brutal attack has since confined Mrs. Khuong to a wheelchair.
Learning that the International Federation of Human Rights has recently called for her release, she expressed her appreciation and thanks to all individuals and organizations at home and abroad those who have tirelessly advocated for her. However, she pessimistically told her son: "Possibly I won’t have that chance. It’s very likely I am going to die in prison because I doubt the Communists will release me. If you won’t receive my phone call this month, then you know that your mother would have died for you. My eyes are blurry; my head hurts and my body aches; I cannot stand up."
After a brief visit, Duc had to say goodbye to his mother and it would be his last visit to a beloved mother. But I hope the worst won’t happen to her. The pain is unbearable for us to recently say goodbye to teacher Dinh Dang Dinh and we cannot afford to lose Mrs. Ho Thi Bich Khuong or anyone anymore.
Police and security forces in Vietnam still treat ordinary Vietnamese in a thuggish and inhuman manner while Vietnam ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture and gained a seat on the current session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Is it the time for the United Nations to reconsider Vietnam’s qualifications and its compliance?
I respectfully and urgently ask everyone to do whatever you can to help save Mrs. Khuong’s life in prison.
Tel.: +84 01628387716
Email: nguyentrungtonth@gmail.com
