Nguyen Vu Binh seriously ill

From an exclusive report we received from a friend of Dr. Pham Hong Son, we have learned that Vietnam dissident Nguyen Vu Binh is seriously ill. Below is Dr. Son's report:

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Urgent Report from Hanoi on Heavily Critical Health of Journalist Nguyen Vu Binh

On 15 Feb 2007, immediately after returning from visiting journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, who has been unjustly imprisoned in Nam Ha jail, Mrs. Bui Thi Kim Ngan, Nguyen Vu Binh's wife, told us in tears:

- Nguyen Vu Binh had to hop when walking and his back had to bend due to pain.

- He could not hold up his 5-year-old daughter.

- He felt tired to talk and had to stop talking at intervals in order to rest during conversation with his family.

- He has lost much more of his weight compared to the last visit of his family. His skin color has changed and darkened.

- Besides suffering from hypertension and chronic digestive dysfunction, he has suffered from permanent back pain and angina (chest pain) for more than a month. During a medical check, a doctor performing ultra-sound to check his liver revealed accidentally "Oh, poor man, you are suffering fatty liver (cirrhosis)!" Nguyen Vu Binh asked jail officers about that but they denied it. His health has deteriorated since the last medical check (Note: before any medical checks, jail officers discussed something secretly with relevant doctors)

- He has made several requests to be medically checked at National Cardiology Institute but his requests have been refused.

- Several times Nguyen Vu Binh called for help when suffering pain in jail cell but no one came to see him.

- Nguyen Vu Binh has been isolated in a small cell in Nam Ha jail.

Reported by Pham Hong Son 22:30 15/02/2007

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The following petition of prominent dissidents in Vietnam addresses the condition of journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, sent to me by the same friend who sent me the above report by Dr. Pham Hong Son on Nguyen Vu Binh.

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Urgent Call for Action To Save the Life of
Journalist Nguyen Vu Binh
in Light of His Critical Medical Condition

Having been unjustly imprisoned for over four years, journalist
Nguyen Vu Binh, 39, is presently facing a critical health condition.
According to a family member who visited Mr. Binh on February
15, 2007, he has lost a lot of weight, is having difficulty walking,
starting to slur his speech, and is so weak that he was could not
hold his five-year-old child. In addition to his chronic hypertension
and intestinal inflammation, Mr. Binh can hardly sleep at night
because of the back and chest pains he has had for over a
month now. In a recent doctor visit, he was diagnosed with steatosis.

Recently, due to his deteriorating health Mr. Binh has been referred
to the National Cardiovascular Institute, but was refused admission.
Many times, he had asked to be treated in a hospital but his requests
were denied.

We, the undersigned, representing Vietnam-based political parties,
human rights organizations, and press agencies,

- In light of the above incidents, resolutely condemn the Vietnamese
communist government's inhuman treatment of Mr. Binh before
world opinion.

- Urge the International Red Cross (IRC) to request that the
Vietnamese government allow IRC physicians to provide
Mr. Binh with emergency care inside the Nam Ha prison
[in northern Vietnam].

- Call upon the governments and people of all freedom loving
countries throughout the world, human rights advocacy
organizations, as well as Vietnamese overseas and inside the
country, to take urgent actions so as to protect, first and
foremost, the life of journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, and later
to secure his release from prison.

Hold the Vietnamese government to be totally responsible for the
safety and survival of Mr. Binh.

We appreciate your immediate attention, and we are ready to
provide, upon your request, necessary information regarding
Mr. Nguyen Vu Binh and his health condition.

Made in Vietnam, on this 16th day of February 2007.


Representatives
Affiliations

1. Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights for Vietnam
Do Nam Hai, Nguyen Phong, Nguyen Chinh Ket

2. Bloc 8406:
Father Nguyen Van Ly, Do Nam Hai, Tran Anh Kim

3. Independent Trade Union of Vietnam:
Nguyen Khac Toan, Dao Van Thuy, Le Tri Tue

4. Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam:
Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Bach Ngoc Duong

5. Former Political and Religious Prisoners Association of Vietnam:
Most Ven. Thich Thien Minh, Dr. Pham Hong Son

6. Vietnam Progressive Party:
Nguyen Phong, Le Thi Cong Nhan, Nguyen Binh Thanh, Hoang Thi Anh Dao

7. Democratic Party of the XXI Century:
Hoang Minh Chinh

8. People's Democracy Party:
Tran Van Hoa

9. Freedom of Speech Online Magazine:
Fr. Chan Tin, Fr. Nguyen Van Ly, Fr. Phan Van Loi, Nguyen Van Dai, Nguyen Khac Toan

10. Freedom & Democracy Online Magazine:
Writer Hoang Tien, Nguyen Khac Toan, Nguyen Van Dai, Bach Ngoc Duong, Duong Thi Xuan