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.
