As of November 19, 2002, sixty nine (69) Vietnamese physicians living overseas have signed a joint letter demanding urgent medical care for Le Chi Quang, an internet activist sentenced to jail by the Vietnamese government for "spreading propaganda." Based on medical records supplied by his family, the physicians have determined that Le Chi Quang suffers from life-threatening Nephrotic Syndrome and severe Chronic Glomerulonephritis.
On November 8, 2002, the government of Vietnam sentenced Le Chi Quang, a young lawyer from Hanoi, to four years in prison followed by three years of house arrest. Le Chi Quang's detention and sentencing created much public discontent which we won't elaborate here. However we, the undersigned physicians, after examining the medical records of Le Chi Quang forwarded by his family, hereby opine:
Le Chi Quang suffers from Nephrotic Syndrome and severe Chronic Glomerulonephritis. In November 1990, while he was still in Czechoslovakia, Brno Hospital detected and treated his illness. However, after returning to Vietnam, he relapsed several times. According to the test results dated January 20, 2000, noted by Dr. Nguyen Van Xang from Hanoi Medicare Clinic, his glomerulonephritis has further deteriorated.
His medical condition can be summarized as follows:
With his medical problems left inadequately treated, Le Chi Quang may die soon of acute renal failure or stomach bleeding/perforation and he cannot survive in jail. Incarcerating such a patient is an inhumane act, a deliberate attempt to seek his death. Therefore, we urge the government of Vietnam to allow Le Chi Quang to receive proper medical care in the hospital and let his family wait on him like any ordinary seriously ill patient, before it is too late. According to international medical standards, a sick prisoner, even if on death row, still has the right to receive full medical treatment like any ordinary patient. We also call upon the world medical and humanitarian organizations to intervene to save Le Chi Quang from his current harsh predicament.
November 19, 2002
Signed.
France:
Switzerland:
Belgium: