Blogger Dieu Cay in day 27 of hunger strike, his life is very critical

CTV Danlambao/Translated by Như Ngọc - As of today, July 19, 2013, blogger Nguyen Van Hai (pen name Dieu Cay) has gone on a hunger protest for 27 days, but there is no indication that he stops it. Prison officials at No. 6 Prison in Thanh Chuong, Nghe An Province, continue to conceal information related to his health status.

Talking to Danlambao, his ex-wife, Mrs. Duong Thi Tan, said that in recent days, she and her children have been sitting on a hot seat because they are very worried that his life is in critical situation.

In February and March 2012, Dieu Cay had also gone on a hunger strike for 28 days in B14 Prison of the Ministry of Public Security to protest against the communist prison system. As a result, he was hospitalized in a coma. It took 4 days for him to regain consciousness after being treated at the April 30Hospital, which is run by the Ministry of Public Security. Then, police had completely concealed the incident and did not notify the family.

Turning 61, Dieu Cay is suffering many illnesses after 5 years of harsh imprisonment. His prolonged hunger strike occurs amid the hot weather in Nghe An Province will lead to unpredictable consequences.

It takes 70 kilometers of rough roads to get to the nearest hospital from the prison. In case of an emergency, blogger Dieu Cay cannot be taken to the hospital promptly.

When the writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia told Dieu Cay’s family about the hunger strike of Dieu Cay, he yelled and his voice was trembling as if he was about to cry out before police gagged his mouth. This shows the severity of the situation.

On July 18, many people who love blogger Dieu Cay made their efforts to search for his information at each hospital in Nghe An Province without any results.

No. 6 Prison reports to the Ministry of Public Security. Located deeply in the Thanh Chuong mountain of Nghe An Province, it is a notoriously brutal prison. Colonel Nguyen Viet Hoan is the chief warden. He and his staffs are fully held accountable for the life of blogger Dieu Cay.

Following the news of his hunger strike, public opinion everywhere expressed concern for the current situation of blogger Dieu Cay and his inmate, writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia. Earlier, a prisoner of conscience, Mr. Nguyen Kim Nhan, was brutally assaulted by the other inmates.

Reportedly, after facing with many difficulties, Mrs. Duong Thi Tan was in Nghe An in the afternoon on July 19, 2013. Tomorrow morning, July 20, 2013, she and her children will go to camp No. 1 of No. 6 Prison at Hanh Lam Commune, Thanh Chuong District, Nghe An Province to request a meeting with the blogger.

Earlier, in a letter to the public, Nguyen Tri Dung, the son of blogger Dieu Cay, urged: "I hope everyone near and far will support us by raising the news to public opinion, or joining my family in Vinh city if you can."