Tran Van Bang, last known to be held at Chi Hoa prison, is reportedly in failing health and in need of medical treatment. His sister reported that his requests to be examined by a doctor had allegedly been denied several times; prison officials also allegedly said they’d take him to the hospital “if it became an emergency.”

61-year-old democracy activist Mr Tran Bang was arrested on 1 Mar 2022, on anti-state propaganda charge under sec 117 of the penal code. He is currently held at detention centre 4 Phan Dang Luu, Binh Thanh ward, of HCMC police.

On 18 Nov 2022, HCMC public prosecutor office returned the case to the police and demanded further investigation to be conducted within 2 months. This information was provided by Mr Bang's defence lawyers Messrs Nguyen Van Mieng and Dang Dinh Manh on their Fb page. The lawyers informed that the public prosecutor office didn't agree with the police's recommendation to prosecute Mr Bang, and also gave orders that the defendant can participate in the legal process at the end of the extended investigation period of 2 months.

He was allowed to meet with his lawyers in Oct 2022 and his family in Nov 2022. However, when his family came to prison to visit him in Dec 2022, they were turned away. A family member told RFA Viet 12 Dec:

'At beginning of Dec 2022, our family came to visit him, after fulfilling all admin procedures, prison officers reported to their superiors then came back to tell us we were not allowed to see him during the extended investigation period, as the secrecy of the investigation must be protected.

'We only know about the extended investigation period from the lawyers, the police didn't inform our family of that.'

His family is very concerned about his health. In the family visit in Nov 2022 - the first family visit since his arrest in Mar 2022 - he said his health had gravely deteriorated.

He has a tumour that keeps growing, yellow discharge is oozing out of his ears, his eyes are dry and blocked from opening due to severe eye discharge.

His wish of being allowed to see a medical specialist hasn't been approved.

Mr Bang is a former communist soldier who fought in the China-Vietnam border war in 1979. He is a member of Le Hieu Dang club - members include former high-standing communist officers turn democracy advocates. He participated in anti-Chinese hegemony protests and opposed the Special Economic Zones bill - which many saw as giving China long-term leases of Vietnam's land in strategic areas.