Tuoi Tre Newspaper requests review of decision to punish reporter

In an official dispatch sent to the Minister of Public Security, Secretary and Chairman of Hanoi, Tuoi Tre newspaper requested a review of the decision to administratively fine reporter Quang The, who accused the police of assaulting and obstructing his work.

October 3, newspaperHo Chi Minh City Youthsaid that he had sent an official dispatch to Senior Lieutenant General Minister of Public Security To Lam, Secretary of Hanoi Hoang Trung Hai, Chairman of Hanoi Nguyen Duc Chung requesting direction to Hanoi City Police andTay Ho District PoliceReview the decision to administratively punish reporter Quang The.

Acknowledging the spirit of quick investigation and verification of the case by Hanoi City police, however, the newspaper's editorial board believes that"The police's response that slapped the reporter's cheek" and the decision to administratively punish reporter Quang The were "not objective, did not reflect the true nature of the incident, and did not comply with the provisions of the law".

Hanoi police said that Dong Anh criminal police "slapped" the reporter's cheek. Photo:MC.

According to the Tuoi Tre Editorial Board, the review of the decision to administratively punish reporter Quang The is aimed atensure fairness and objectivity, besides "clearly recognize the nature of the incident as obstructing journalistic activities in public places and assaulting and injuring journalists.

On the same day, reporter Quang The also filed a complaint to the director of Hanoi City Police and the head of Tay Ho District Police. In the complaint, heThe administrative penalty decision of Tay Ho district police lacks legal basis and does not follow administrative violation handling procedures.

Mr. The denied the entire content of the administrative penalty decision and said:No agency made a record during the working process with him.""Making a decision to impose a fine without making a record is contrary to the provisions of the current Law on Handling of Administrative Violations," the petition said.

On the morning of September 23, reporter Quang The was investigating the case of a taxi driver who died under Nhat Tan Bridge (Dong Anh, Hanoi) when he was stopped by a man in a police uniform. After going about 30 meters, Mr. The continued taking photos but was stopped by a group of people, including a Dong Anh District criminal police officer in plain clothes who assaulted the reporter.

"I was beaten until my mouth bled and punched in the head," Mr. The confirmed, adding that the camera he was holding was also snatched and prevented from working. On the afternoon of September 23, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Nam Thang, Captain of the Criminal Police Department of Dong Anh District Police, went to the newspaper's representative office in Hanoi to apologize to Mr. Quang The, admitting the "incorrect attitude" of his subordinates.

According to the conclusion of Hanoi police, police officer Hung kicked but missed.

On September 29, in response to the press, Colonel Nguyen Duy Ngoc (Deputy Director of Hanoi Police, Head of the Investigation Police Agency) admitted that there had been a scuffle between the criminal police of Dong Anh district and reporter Quang The. However, Mr. Ngoc said that during the course of his duty, a police officer named Hung "used his hand to push journalist Quang The to the cheek, and raised his leg to kick him, although he did not hit him." A police officer named Thuyen "put his hand to push him into a camera."

On the evening of September 29, Tay Ho District Police sent a decision to administratively fine reporter Quang The nearly 14.5 million VND, with the following violations: entering a restricted area where activities involving state secrets are conducted without permission with a fine of 2 million VND; taking photos in a restricted area with a fine of 2 million VND; verbally insulting a person on duty with a fine of 2.5 million VND; taking advantage of the status of a journalist or reporter to interfere with the lawful activities of an organization or individual with a fine of 7.5 million VND; parking a motorbike on a bridge with a fine of 350,000 VND; not obeying the orders of a traffic controller with a fine of 55,000 VND.

According to VNE