A Vietnamese woman on trial on charges of assassinating the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is reported to have received psychiatric treatment after Malaysian authorities rejected Vietnam's call for her release.

According to Malaysian and international news media, Hisham Teh Poh Teik, the lawyer representing the Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong, said that his client received treatment on Friday.

Earlier Monday, Malaysian prosecutors abruptly dropped charges against Huong's codefendant in the Kim Jong-nam murder case, an Indonesian woman by the name of Siti Aisyah, after which she was released. 

But Malaysia has declined to release Huong and said that she will continue to stand trial.

The Vietnamese government and people have protested the decision, saying Huang is facing discrimination due to her nationality.