Embassy Brief: Political abuse of psychiatry at the Central Mental Hospital No. 1 in Hanoi, Vietnam
April 7, 2020
To:
U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam
British Embassy Hanoi
Australian Embassy in Vietnam
Embassy of Japan in Hanoi, Vietnam
Germany Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
Ambassade de France à Hanoï
Other Embassies in Hanoi, Vietnam
From: The Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam (IJAVN)
Dear Sir or Madam (or vice versa):
We wish to inform the Embassies on a case report of political abuse of psychiatry at the Central Mental Hospital No. 1 in Hanoi, Vietnam, as documented by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (1, hyperlink to the document provided below).
On 5 July 2018, our member Mr. Le Anh Hung was arrested on suspicion of “abusing democratic freedoms” under Article 331 of the Penal Code of Vietnam, which carries a possible sentence of 2-7 years in prison. He has not been put on trial since his arrest. Since 10 May 2019, he has been forcibly committed at the Central Mental Hospital No. 1 in Hanoi.
Recently, on 4 March 2021, the hospital attempted to increase the dosage of psychiatric drugs to 12 pills, he refused to take them, and staff of the hospital restrained him and injected him with sedatives (2).
On 22 February 2021, Mr. Pham Binh Minh, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam expressed the intent of his government to apply for membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025 (3). We believe the practice in the case report involving Mr. Le Anh Hung would contravene the Madrid Declaration on Ethical Standards for Psychiatric Practice of the World Psychiatric Association. We believe this case report is a clear violation of human rights.
On 13 October 2021, the 75th United Nations General Assembly will hold elections for 15 new Council members that will serve for a period of three years on the United Nations Human Rights Council. We seek help from the Embassies to communicate this case report of human rights violation to the General Assembly. In particular, we seek help from the Embassies with the following enquiry to Mr. Pham Binh Minh, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
Transparency – Is Mr. Le Anh Hung a prisoner or a patient? If he is a prisoner, why has he not been put on trial? If he is a patient, when will he be released to the care of his family?
Patient-centered care – Why were his wish and the preference of his family not taken into consideration in his diagnosis and treatment by the hospital?
Second-opinion on diagnosis and treatment – Can we arrange for an independent assessment of his condition?
We thank you for your time and your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam
(Prepared by Phạm Đình Bá, PhD
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email: ba.pham@theta.utoronto.ca)
Notes:
- Hyperlink to the cited document by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Radio Free Asia. Blogger Lê Anh Hùng bị Bệnh viện tâm thần cưỡng ép chích thuốc an thần. https://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/news/vietnamnews/blogger-forced-mental-drug-injection-04062021081800.html
- Human Rights Council Begins its High-Level Segment and Hears from 21 Dignitaries. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=26774&LangID=E