The health of prominent human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Cấn Thị Thêu has worsened. On 17 January, Cấn Thị Thêu informed her family that she had been ill for 16 days with concerning symptoms associated with a stroke. Her request for medical treatment has been denied. Without proper care and regular visits from her family, there are grave concerns for her wellbeing. Cấn Thị Thêu has been imprisoned in Prison No. 5 in Thanh Hoa province for five years and allegedly subjected to torture and inhumane conditions of detention. Cấn Thị Thêu is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising her human rights, and must be immediately and unconditionally released.
