Japan acquits Vietnamese trainee accused of abandoning child

Lawyers and supporters of Le Thi Thuy Linh arrive at the Supreme Court of Japan in February 2023 - Photo: Asahi Shimbun

According to NHK, the verdict was issued on March 24, confirming Thuy Linh’s innocence after she appealed. Previously, in January 2020, she was sentenced to 3 months in prison with a suspended sentence in a case that revealed the pressure that trainees face when working in Japan.

Thuy Linh's legal team and supporters appeared in court with a banner reading "Linh is innocent" and cheered the ruling of the Japanese Supreme Court.

Thuy Linh, 24 years old, participated in a trainee program working at a farm in Kumamoto city, southern Japan.

Japan's technical intern program aims to provide participants with specialized work experience to apply upon returning to their home country.

In 2021, the program had about 275,000 participants from countries including China and Vietnam.

But female interns say they face pressure not to get pregnant and risk losing their internship opportunities if they do.

Thuy Linh learned she was pregnant in July 2020. According to lawyer Hiroki Ishiguro, Thuy Linh feared she would be deported if discovered. She sought an abortion and then hid it because her employer threatened her with "difficulties" if she gave birth.

She gave birth at home but the twins died. When she sought help, she was reported. Prosecutors said she hid the bodies because she was trying to cover up her pregnancy and childbirth. She was found guilty by the district and high courts.

However, Thuy Linh’s lawyers said she only tried to bury her children, not abandon them, by wrapping them in blankets and writing letters of apology. They also argued that this was not a criminal offense because she did not try to hide the bodies of the two children.

According to Tuoi Tre