The superior gave Tru one last chance to repent. Tru would not, and was taken out of the camp the next day, never to be seen again. Numerous prisoners have been executed in cold blood. A woman identified as Mrs. Lieu was punished for hanging the flag of the Republic of Vietnam in her window. Prisoners attempting to escape are among the most frequently executed.
Suicides appear to be a common occurrence in the camps.
In one camp, a pharmacist, who ended a letter to his wife by asking her to pray for his safe return, was brought before other prisoners and berated for relying upon God for his release. For the next several nights he was interrogated by camp authorities, until he ultimately committed suicide. His family was not notified of his death until much later. Hanoi acknowledges that violence has been used against prisoners in isolated instances, but not as a matter of general camp policy. Amnesty International has recommended that Vietnamese authorities refer to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners and that an independent body including lawyers and medical practitioners be instituted to inspect detention centers at regular intervals.