Sentenced Nguyen Phuong Hang to 3 years in prison

In this case, Dang Anh Quan (Doctor of Law, University Lecturer) was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison; Nguyen Thi Mai Nhi (assistant to Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hang), Le Thi Thu Ha (employee of Dai Nam Joint Stock Company), Huynh Cong Tan (Head of Communications Department of Dai Nam Joint Stock Company) received the same sentence of 1 year and 6 months in prison, all for the crime of "Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State; the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals" according to Article 331 of the 2015 Penal Code.

This is the case of "Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State; the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals" carried out by Nguyen Phuong Hang and 4 accomplices. The case was initiated in March 2022, went through many procedural processes and has only now been brought to the first instance trial.

Defendant Nguyen Phuong Hang took advantage of democratic freedoms, conducted many livestreams on social networks, made statements with fabricated content, untrue information or unverified information, seriously insulted the reputation and honor of individuals; posted on cyberspace information related to personal secrets, family secrets and private lives of Mr. and Mrs. Vo Nguyen Hoai Linh (artist Hoai Linh), Nguyen Thi My Oanh (singer Vy Oanh), Dang Thi Han Ni (former journalist - lawyer, master of law Han Ni), Huynh Minh Hung (singer Dam Vinh Hung), Tran Thi Thuy Tien (singer Thuy Tien) and her husband Le Cong Vinh, Nguyen Duc Hien (Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper), Dinh Thi Lan, Le Thi Giau, Truong Viet Ha.

Based on the evidence and the public trial process in court today, the Trial Panel determined that the prosecution of the defendants was well-founded and in accordance with the law. Defendant Nguyen Phuong Hang was the initiator, director, and instigator of the other defendants to commit the crime; Defendant Dang Anh Quan was a person with high legal qualifications but interacted, participated, encouraged, and encouraged Hang to commit the crime, so Nguyen Phuong Hang and Dang Anh Quan must bear a higher penalty than the other three accomplices. Defendants Nguyen Thi Mai Nhi, Le Thi Thu Ha, and Huynh Cong Tan committed the crime for the first time and had insignificant roles.

At today's trial, the people with related rights and obligations are: Vy Oanh, Truong Thi Viet Ha, Dam Vinh Hung, Dang Thi Han Ni, Nguyen Dinh Kim present at the trial. Hoai Linh, Duc Hien, Le Thi Giau, Huynh Uy Dung, Thuy Tien and her husband Cong Vinh were absent and submitted a request for trial in absentia.

During the trial, defendant Nguyen Phuong Hang admitted that she was not wrongly prosecuted, but said that she had been insulted a lot and that the 18-month imprisonment "was too high a price to pay" so she did not agree to make a public apology as requested by Mr. Dam Vinh Hung and Ms. Vy Oanh. At the trial, Mr. Hung and Ms. Oanh withdrew their request for compensation and only requested a public apology, which was acknowledged by the Trial Panel.