AI Urgent action for detained Christian

Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action notice for Le Thi Hong Lien, a 21-year-old Vietnamese teacher at a Mennonite church who is suffering from severe mental illness in the prison infirmary at Chi Hoa Prison, Ho Chi Minh City. AI considers Lien a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the non-violent exercise of her beliefs. She has participated along with other Christians in demonstrations protesting the government's religious policy. She was arrested last June along with other Mennnonite Christians and on November 12 was sentenced to 12 months in prison on charges of "resisting a person performing official duty".

AI says her condition is deteroriating as a result of severe beatings and having her hands and feet tied to her prison bed. (Amnesty International Urgent Action notice, AI Index: ASA 41/001/2005, January 7).