US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY994

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000994 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: PASTOR TRUONG RELEASED FROM THE ASYLUM WITH STRINGS 
ATTACHED 
 
REF:  A) HCMC 816 and previous; B) Hanoi 1389 
 
1.  (SBU) The lawyer representing Pastor Than Van Truong informed 
us on September 17 that Dong Nai officials earlier that day had 
released Truong from the mental hospital to which he had been 
involuntarily committed for nearly a year.  On September 17 and 
again on September 19, we spoke with Truong and his wife at their 
home in Dong Nai Province.  Truong said he was in good health and 
spirits. 
 
2. (SBU) Truong told us that, as a precondition for release, he 
was required to sign a document drafted by the Dong Nai 
Prosecutor's Office, entitled "Minute of Notification of Decision 
on Termination of Forced Treatment Measure."   That document 
stated that Truong had a delusional disorder, had been treated and 
become temporarily stable, and therefore was allowed to go home 
for further treatment.  He was given a hospital discharge paper 
with the same diagnosis and a prescription for medicine to take at 
home (Haldol, the same anti-delusional drug he was given in the 
hospital).  Truong said that police officials were present at his 
discharge. 
 
3. (SBU) Truong said that the officials would not give him a copy 
of the "Minute of Notification" document although he had made 
repeated requests.  He was not allowed to write on the document 
that he disagreed with the diagnosis.  He was told that he could 
file a complaint later if he wanted.  According to Truong, police 
told him that there were no travel or other restrictions on him 
following his release.  Truong said that he had traveled directly 
to HCMC to visit his daughter and some religious friends.  He said 
that he was "surprised" when he noticed that he was followed by 
two plainclothes policemen as he visited the house church of 
Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang on September 18. 
 
4. (SBU) Comment:  Truong's lawyer told us that he believed his 
client had been released because Vietnamese law precluded the 
involuntary commitment of mental patients for over a year. 
However, in our many discussions with officials on this case -- 
including the Dong Nai police and the director of the mental 
hospital -- there was no mention made of any limit on involuntary 
incarceration.  The director of the mental hospital went as far as 
to tell us that Truong could be held indefinitely so long as he 
remained "delusional."   What likely impelled his release was the 
impending travel of a high-level Dong Nai provincial delegation to 
the United States to promote investment in the province.  We 
recently had warned provincial leaders that -- should the issue 
remain unresolved -- they would have to answer the embarrassing 
question of why Truong was locked up in a mental hospital. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment Continued:  We are encouraged that the months of 
engagement and pressure in Hanoi, HCMC, and Washington led to 
Truong's release.  Unfortunately, Truong's acknowledgement of 
mental illness as a precondition for release makes him vulnerable 
to future official action against him, should he again "get out of 
line."  We will continue to monitor closely Truong's status as 
well as to tell our official contacts that we hope that this 
incident was an aberrant "one off" in Vietnam's handling of 
religious freedom and freedom of expression cases.  We also have 
urged Truong to work with his lawyer to petition the authorities 
to obtain a copy of the minute and to challenge any legal 
irregularities in the release process. 
 
WINNICK