Police investigate to clarify the case of 'reporter being assaulted'

The incident occurred at around 11am on July 22. While working in the area near Phu Ha Environmental Company Limited (Tram Than Commune, Phu Ninh District, Phu Tho Province), reporters from Lao Dong Newspaper and VTC14 Television Channel were surrounded by a group of security guards and beaten, their phones and cameras were robbed. Regarding the incident, on the afternoon of July 22, Phu Tho Provincial Police said they were conducting a crime scene investigation and receiving evidence to handle the case in accordance with the law.

Upon receiving the news, the Phu Ninh District Police (Phu Tho) organized forces to take action. During the investigation, the incident was initially clarified: At around 10:00 a.m. on July 22, a working group of VTC Channel 14 of Vietnam Television, including reporter Pham Trang Ha (29 years old) and members including Nguyen Anh Tuan (31 years old), cameraman; Dao Van Hai (47 years old), driver, accompanied by Nguyen Thi Khanh Hoa (34 years old), reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper, went to the forest hill area outside of Phu Ha Environmental Company Limited to work on the issue of environmental pollution.

The security team appeared and loudly cursed the group of reporters.

Before working, according to the report, the group of reporters went to Tram Than Commune People's Committee to contact the work but could not meet the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the commune. The working group met with Comrade Dung, the Commune Team Leader, and was given the phone number of a local resident by Mr. Dung, who led the working group to the area outside Phu Ha Environmental Company Limited.

While the task force was working, a group of about 4-5 men, claiming to be company security guards, came out and prevented them from working. Afterwards, these people struggled and scuffled with the task force.

At this time, one of them hit Ms. Ha on the hand, causing the cell phone she was holding to fall to the ground. Ms. Ha tried to pick up the phone when another person snatched the tripod of the LiBec brand camera, then asked the working group to enter the company to work, but the group of reporters did not comply with the request, so the group of reporters left. The group of reporters from VTC 14 went to Tram Than Commune Police to report.

Upon receiving the report from Tram Than Commune Police, Phu Ninh District Police sent a task force to the scene. Along with taking statements from the members of the task force, they summoned related subjects to work.

While Phu Ninh District Police were handling the case, Mr. Nguyen Ba Van, Director of Phu Ha Environmental Company Limited, came to hand over 1 mobile phone of Ms. Ha and 1 tripod of Mr. Tuan to the police to help resolve the case.

Previously, Lao Dong newspaper published the following information: At around 11:00 a.m. today (July 22), while working in the area near Phu Ha waste treatment plant, Tram Than commune, Phu Ninh district, Phu Tho province, reporters from Lao Dong newspaper and VTC14 TV channel were surrounded by a group of security guards, beaten, and robbed of their phones and cameras.

According to information in Lao Dong Newspaper, it is related to the suspicion that Phu Ha Environmental Company Limited, which received the treatment of more than 145 tons of waste from Formosa Ha Tinh. On the morning of July 22, VTC14 Channel reporters and Lao Dong Newspaper reporters were present in Tram Than commune to investigate the incident, clarify the process of transporting and treating hazardous waste... While working on a hill near the factory of this company, the group of reporters was attacked by a group of people claiming to be Phu Ha Company security guards, cursing, threatening and assaulting. This group of people continuously used obscene language, smashed the camera, and snatched the cell phone of the VTC14 reporter...

According to CAND