The health of prominent human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Cấn Thị Thêu has worsened. On January 17, Cấn Thị Thêu informed her family that she had been ill for 16 days with concerning symptoms associated with a stroke. Her request for medical treatment has been denied. Without proper care and regular visits from her family, there are grave concerns about her well-being. Cấn Thị Thêu has been imprisoned in Prison No. 5 in Thanh Hoa province for five years and allegedly subjected to torture and inhumane conditions of detention. Cấn Thị Thêu is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising her human rights, and must be immediately and unconditionally released.
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PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 1, 2026
Your Excellency,
I am concerned for the health of 63-year-old Cấn Thị Thêu, a prominent land rights activist and human rights defender who has been imprisoned for five years.
During a family visit on January 17, Cấn Thị Thêu informed her family that she had been ill for 16 days with worrying symptoms associated with a stroke and was denied medical treatment. In early August 2025, Cấn Thị Thêu informed her family that she was unable to eat anything other than some salted rice with a little broth, as her body was struggling to accept anything else. Without proper care and regular visits from her family, there are grave concerns about her well-being.
I urge you to ensure that Cấn Thị Thêu is immediately and unconditionally released, as she is a prisoner of conscience detained solely for exercising her human right to freedom of expression. Pending her release, Cấn Thị Thêu must be treated in full accordance with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) and protected from torture and other ill-treatment and provided access to adequate healthcare.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Other Urgent Actions for this Case
- First UA Issued: [Viet Nam 83.25]
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