Former Police Lieutenant General Phan Van Vinh files a petition... to appear in court

Former Lieutenant General Phan Van Vinh hospitalized before trial date

On the morning of November 5, the judge - member of the Trial Council of the trial of Mr. Phan Van Vinh (former Lieutenant General, Director General of Police, Ministry of Public Security) in the "thousand billion gambling" case and lawyer Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang (Vien An Law Firm, Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association - defending Mr. Vinh) went to Phu Tho General Hospital - where Mr. Vinh is being treated - to learn about the health condition of this defendant.

At the hospital, Mr. Vinh submitted a request to the judge to attend the trial. According to lawyer Huyen Trang, Mr. Vinh was worried that his illness would prevent him from attending the trial, so he proactively submitted the request.

"In addition to the application submitted to the court, Mr. Vinh also made a commitment to submit to the hospital, asking to be discharged to attend the court because the hospital said that Mr. Vinh was a patient under treatment and had to make a commitment to be discharged" - lawyer Huyen Trang said.

Mr. Vinh's defense attorney also added: At the meeting with Mr. Vinh this morning at the hospital, the judge only inquired about the defendant's medical condition and did not provide any further information. The hospital said that it sent a team of doctors and nurses to accompany Mr. Vinh throughout the trial.

According to hospital records provided at this morning's meeting with the judge and lawyer, Mr. Vinh suffered from atherosclerosis of the aorta, liver edema, and immune system deficiency.

Mr. Phan Van Vinh and 91 other defendants will appear in court from November 12. The trial, held by the People's Court of Phu Tho province, is expected to last 20 days. Mr. Vinh is being tried for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties".