Vietnamese political prisoner and land rights activist Cấn Thị Thêu, 64, endured days of fever, chills, recurring abdominal pain, and extreme fatigue without being examined by prison medical staff. When prison doctors finally saw her three days later, they reportedly said there was “nothing abnormal” and prescribed her painkillers.
The Latest: On July 20, Trịnh Thị Thảo stated on her Facebook page that the family had submitted an urgent petition asking authorities to allow her mother, Cấn Thị Thêu, to receive medical treatment.
- Speaking to Luật Khoa Magazine on the morning of July 21, Thảo said her mother had been suffering from extreme fatigue and abdominal pain from July 14 until the family’s visit on July 17.
The Details: During the first two days of her illness, Thêu experienced fever, chills, blood pressure as high as 150/90, and recurring episodes of severe pain extending from around her navel to the upper abdomen that left her physically exhausted.
Thêu requested to have diagnostic imaging on July 14, but it was not until the morning of July 17—just before her family visit—that she was taken to the prison infirmary.
- After performing an abdominal ultrasound, Dr. Hưng, the head of the prison clinic, reportedly told her there was “nothing abnormal” and prescribed painkillers. The family also requested access to her medical records, but the prison refused.
Thảo said her mother’s condition had “deteriorated significantly” compared with previous visits, noting that as soon as Thêu entered the visiting room, she “had difficulty walking and appeared to be in obvious pain.”
- Thêu experienced recurring bouts of abdominal pain, and her fingernails remained dark purple—a symptom first observed during the previous family visit. Thêu suspected she “might still be being poisoned.”
Thảo added that the family has no way of knowing how Thêu’s condition has changed in recent months because they receive no information about her daily life in prison.
- A reporter from Luật Khoa Magazine contacted Prison No. 5 in Thanh Hóa to verify the allegations but was unable to reach prison officials.
Who is Cấn Thị Thêu? Cấn Thị Thêu is a prominent land rights activist from Dương Nội, Hà Nội.
- She and her sons—fellow human rights activists Trịnh Bá Phương and Trịnh Bá Tư—became known after authorities forcibly seized their family’s land.
- All three were arrested on June 24, 2020, and convicted under Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code for their peaceful advocacy and support for residents following the police assault on Thôn Hoành, Xã Đồng Tâm, on Jan. 9, 2020.
Three Times Denied: This incident is the third time in the past year that Thêu has reportedly been denied appropriate medical treatment.
- At a family visit on Aug. 1, 2025, Thêu appeared severely exhausted after suffering intense abdominal pain.
- She stated that she had been in stable health until July 27, 2025, when she developed mild abdominal pain and a slight fever overnight. The following day, she began experiencing chills.
- On July 28, 2025, the prison clinic reportedly gave her a total of six painkillers before transferring her late that night to Ngọc Lặc Hospital in Thanh Hóa.
- After three days of treatment, she was transferred back to prison on the morning of July 31, 2025.
- Although her fever and chills had subsided, she said her abdominal pain persisted and her fingernails remained dark purple.
- Neither Thêu nor her family was allowed to review her medical records or the hospital’s diagnosis.
- During another family visit on Jan. 17, 2026, Thêu told her relatives she had been ill for 16 consecutive days.
- She suffered from dizziness and trembling in her arms and legs and required assistance to walk but was treated only at the prison clinic.
- As her condition worsened, she requested a referral to a specialized hospital, with her family offering to cover all medical expenses.
- Prison No. 5 refused the request.
- Thêu also said prison officials claimed they had informed her family about her illness. Her family, however, said they received no notification about her condition before their Jan. 17 visit.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 22, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
