These cells were completely isolated from other cells of Hoa Lo prison to prevent death row inmates from communicating with the outside.
The Cell was built solidly with the wall 0.4 meters thick, 3 meters high and area of each room around 5m2. Both interior and exterior walls were painted with black tar which made people feel gloomy and cold. Prisoners here were shackled all day long, not even freed to use their toilet. The cell door was opened just twice each day for jail guards to bring meals and water to the death row inmates.
According to the prison regulations, prisoners who were sentenced to death were detained here for a minimum of 10 months from the day of being sentenced at Criminal Court. During this time, prisoners could lodge an appeal or claim for sentence reduction. However, to eliminate some death row inmates, particularly the ones whom the French considered dangerous, these death row inmates were executed after only 2 to 3 days from the day of sentence.
In spite of living in the cell and having to deal with the closeness of death, the Vietnamese communists retained the will to fight. They wrote books, complied materials to broadcast national revolution and, composed poems revealing spirits of optimism, patriotism, devotion and contribution to national liberation revolution.
This is one of the red address in Hanoi while you are here shouldn't missing, in program Hanoi city tour and cooking class organised by Viet Unique Tours we are offering.
