PRISON BEATINGS

UNCLAS HANOI 002607 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI VM HUMANR SUBJECT: PRISON BEATINGS REF: A. HANOI 2596 B. HANOI 2407 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: ACCORDING TO UNUSUAL MEDIA REPORTS, HOANG TIEN PRISON IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF HAI UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02607 290740Z DUONG (WHICH EMBOFFS VISITED IN SEPTEMBER -- REF B),HAS EXPERIENCED THREE SERIOUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING GUARDS AND PRISONERS BETWEEN LATE AUGUST AND MID-SEPTEMBER. IT REMAINS A MYSTERY WHY A FEW ELEMENTS OF THE MEDIA HAVE PUBLICIZED THESE INCIDENTS AND THE SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S PROCURACY, AS WELL AS WHY THE GVN SELECTED THIS PARTICULAR PRISON FOR THE FIRST-EVER VISIT TO A VIETNAMESE PRISON BY A US EMBASSY POLITICAL OFFICER. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. ¶2. (U) ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 26, TWO HOANG TIEN GUARDS STABBED INMATE NGUYEN TAI LONG, AFTER HE ASKED FOR A TEMPORARY REST FROM DAILY LABOR DUE TO FATIGUE RELATED TO HIS AIDS INFECTION. LATER THAT DAY, AFTER HIS CONDITION DETERIORATED, LONG WAS SENT TO A LOCAL MEDICAL CLINIC, AND THEN TO THE PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL, WHERE HE RECOVERED. ¶3. (U) ON SEPTEMBER 10, INMATE PHAM VAN DZUNG DIED AT 12:30 P.M., AFTER TWO GUARDS HAD STABBED HIM REPEATEDLY, TIED HIM UP, AND LEFT HIM EXPOSED TO THE SUN FOR TWO HOURS ON THE DECK OF A BARGE IN 34 CELSIUS (OVER 100 DEGREE FAHRENHEIT) HEAT. DZUNG HAD BEGUN A SIX-YEAR SENTENCE IN MAY 2002. THE GUARDS' PUNISHMENT CAME AFTER DZUNG HAD TWICE ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO REST FROM HIS LABOR THAT DAY OF UNLOADING ROCKS FROM THE BARGE ON A RIVER NEAR THE PRISON. HE DIED ON THE WAY TO THE DISTRICT HOSPITAL. ¶4. (U) ON THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 22, THE DEAD BODY OF INMATE DUONG VAN THU WAS FOUND HANGING FROM A TREE IN THE CENTER OF THE PRISON. THU WAS SERVING A SENTENCE OF FOUR AND A HALF YEARS FOR NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING. THU REPORTEDLY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02607 290740Z COMMITTED SUICIDE BECAUSE HE WAS UPSET THAT HIS FAMILY HAD NOT PAID THE FINES UNDER HIS "BRACKET PENALTIES," WHICH MIGHT HAVE QUALIFIED HIM FOR A SPECIAL AMNESTY ON THE OCCASION OF THE VIETNAMESE NATIONAL DAY. THE MEDIA AND INVESTIGATORS HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE WAS ABLE TO HANG HIMSELF IN SUCH A PUBLIC SITE, AND HOW HE HAD EVER LEARNED ABOUT HIS "POSSIBLE" ELIGIBILITY FOR AMNESTY, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. ¶5. (U) FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF DZUNG AND THU, OFFICIALS FROM THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S PROCURACY CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION AT HOANG TIEN; ONLY THEN DID THEY LEARN ABOUT THE AUGUST INCIDENT, ACCORDING TO MEDIA. ONE OFFICIAL FROM THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S PROCURACY, IN COMMENTS TO LOCAL REPORTERS, ADMITTED SYSTEMATIC BEATINGS AND OVERTAXING OF INMATES AT HOANG TIEN PRISON, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN LISTED AMONG THE MOST MERITORIOUS PRISONS UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED