Nguyen Van Tuc, former prisoner of conscience and key member of the unregistered Brotherhood for Democracy, has been held incommunicado since being arrested on September 17 last year. Authorities in Thai Binh province denies him from receiving additional food from his family. Due to severe conditions during the pre-trial detention, he is suffering several serious diseases such as heart disease, hemorrhoid, chronic keratitis. They also reject his right to have his own lawyer but appoint another for him.