Vietnam Pastor Held in Mental Hospital for Religious Beliefs
Posted: Friday, June 17 , 2005, 17:05 (UK)
Reports have been released that Rev. Than Van Truong of the Baptist
General Conference house church organisation is being held in a mental
hospital despite claims that he is clearly sane.
Rev. Truong was arrested for the first time without trial in May 2005,
charged of "crimes against the state" after he wrote a number of
religious articles and sent Bibles as gifts to Vietnam's top
officials.
After his release, he was re-arrested while trying to leave his
residence to visit his mother in the far north of Vietnam. In Vietnam
permission to leave a personal residence is needed, and even though
Rev. Truong requested permission several times, officials refused to
reply.
In September 2004, the public prosecutor of Dong Nai Province stated
Rev. Truong is "mentally ill and delusional" and had him committed to
the Bien Hoa Mental Hospital in Dong Nai Province. He was injected
with drugs that led him to a lethargic state. However, after his
medication was reduced his condition improved.
In March this year, he started to write petitions regarding his case
asking for intervention. The case became well known after Ms. Le Thi
Hong Lien was also committed to the mental hospital, and this helped
bring his situation to light.
The Rev. Truong's case was presented to the European Union, Canada and
the United States and countries have been engaged in diplomatic acts
on his behalf. Also, a lawyer has vowed to help him in his fight for
freedom, and this representative received an admission from
authorities that the investigation against Rev. Truong found nothing
and that the case was closed. After after intervention in the hospital
the lawyer received an agreement that Rev. Truong would not be given
any further unidentified medication. The lawyer requested for an
independent medical examination that would clear him and lead to his
release.
However, hospital authorities subjected him to their own medical
examination after the American diplomat tried to visit him on 27th may
2005.
The examination had the form of an interview and Rev. Truong was
mostly asked about his religious beliefs and credentials as a pastor.
The interview was led by the director of hospital, Dr. Tho.
Several times during an earlier interview Dr. Tho had said that Rev.
Truong was in the mental hospital because he had "committed a crime
[and] broken the law" even though the public prosecutor confirmed that
the findings of an investigation were negative and the case had been
closed.
According to Rev. Truong, the interview sometimes turned into a
bizarre argument between several Marxists and a lone Christian, with
the conversation having nothing related to his mental health. They
decided his firm Christian beliefs and his evangelistic attitude
towards them qualified him as being delusional. Rev. Truong expressed
that Dr. Tho acted more like a public security branch officer than a
doctor.
During the series of events, one doctor from the hospital met Rev.
Truong's wife on several occasions and told her that her husband in
fact had no mental problems. A new medical examination was requested,
but hospital authorities refused to do so, since his case involved
"religion and politics."
As the case has attracted the attention of the public and the
authorities, Rev. Truong has been visited by various doctors and
officers regularly, but still no progress in his case has been made,
since it seems the authorities refuse to make a firm decision
regarding him.
The public prosecutor, who initiated the case sending him into the
hospital, now says there are no criminal charges against him. Rev.
Truong's long attending doctor says he has no mental condition.
However, he still remains locked in hospital.
Rev. Truong was last visited by the doctor that had been seeing him on
10th June 2005, and his absence and apparant disappearance has brought
about fears that something may have happened to him. Rev. Truong and
his wife are worried about his safety.
A CSW source on Vietnam remarked: "Even though authorities themselves
have confirmed that Pastor Truong is neither criminal nor crazy, they
still incarcerate him in a mental hospital. It sounds like the Soviet
Union 50 years ago."
Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide
(CSW) said, "The release of this story should embarrass the Vietnamese
Prime Minister, who is about to go to the US to convince America that
all is well in Vietnam. At the same time, a delegation from Dong Nai
Province, the location of the Bien Hoa Mental Hospital, is visiting
America on a trade mission. It is time the West confronts the reality
of Vietnam’s flagrant disregard for the religious freedom of her
people."
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| User: "WH" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
20 Jun 2005 07:10:54 AM |
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wrote:
Vietnam Pastor Held in Mental Hospital for Religious Beliefs
Posted: Friday, June 17 , 2005, 17:05 (UK)
Reports have been released that Rev. Than Van Truong of the Baptist
General Conference house church organisation is being held in a mental
hospital despite claims that he is clearly sane.
They should lock all these fuckin' freaky baptists up methinks....and
throw away the key too...
LOL!
WH
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
22 Jun 2005 10:45:19 AM |
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Chris The Gay Muslim Conver wrote:
TheSilver@Bullet.com wrote:
Vietnam Pastor Held in Mental Hospital for Religious Beliefs
Posted: Friday, June 17 , 2005, 17:05 (UK)
Reports have been released that Rev. Than Van Truong of the Baptist
General Conference house church organisation is being held in a mental
hospital despite claims that he is clearly sane.
They should lock all these fuckin' freaky baptists up methinks....and
throw away the key too...
LOL!
WH
I would expect such a reaction from an Islamic sympathizer, I'm sure
most Liberals feel the same way but are afraid to say so.
Youre AntiChristian stance is very clear.
Tony
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
19 Jun 2005 08:36:59 AM |
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wrote:
Vietnam Pastor Held in Mental Hospital for Religious Beliefs
Posted: Friday, June 17 , 2005, 17:05 (UK)
Wrong. That's what the Right Wing wants to do with what little remains
of public assistance. What Liberals want is the same high quality
health care for all.
I don't think that's feasible myself, but then, I'm a moderate, so I can
see that.
Woods
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
19 Jun 2005 11:19:44 AM |
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Woods wrote:
TheSilver@Bullet.com wrote:
Vietnam Pastor Held in Mental Hospital for Religious Beliefs
Posted: Friday, June 17 , 2005, 17:05 (UK)
Wrong. That's what the Right Wing wants to do with what little remains
of public assistance. What Liberals want is the same high quality
health care for all.
Seriously, go get your head checked again, this post had nothing
whatsoever to do with Healthcare and every thing to do with
Anti-Christian behavoir which the Liberals practice.
I don't think that's feasible myself, but then, I'm a moderate, so I can
see that.
Woods
You a moderate? LOL!!!! You're so far left it's a wonder you can
stand up, can you?
Tony
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
20 Jun 2005 05:57:49 PM |
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You know they say Jesus could never be born again, because a) they
can't find a virgin
b) Nor 3 wise men
What liberals want is purely a matter of conjecture.
If you believe either are going to Help, then you need Help.
Fact is the system needs a good Flushing, changes should be wrought on
who and how runs the place, and that BUCK that Harry Truman stops with
him, that every one since Nixon has passed to the next schmuck
snowballing all the way along is about to Blow, so a Left Right
dichotomy is irrelevant don't worry about bus drivers beliefs, just
worry about his ability.
LB
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| User: "Su Zanadu" |
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| Title: Re: Here is an example of the world Liberals want |
20 Jun 2005 08:49:30 PM |
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Leigh wrote:
leigh8bee@optusnet.com.au
wrote:
You know they say Jesus could never be
born again, because a) they can't find a
virgin
Never met Pedro's sister? (sheeza virgin.)
;)
b) Nor 3 wise men
How about 3 smart asses and a pack of camels? :) puff puff !!
hahahahah! ;)
SuZanne
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