Vietnamese Ambassador thanks Malaysia for verdict on Doan Thi Huong
The Vietnamese representative sent thanks to the relevant parties, reaffirming that Vietnamese citizens were victims in the incident.
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Doan Thi Huong was happy after the April 1 trial. Photo:AP. |
"We are very happy that Doan Thi Huong will be released soon. Thank you to the Malaysian government, the Attorney General and the Malaysian prosecutor for this verdict," Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Le Quy Quynh shared withVnExpressafter the trial this morning. The Ambassador, embassy officials, the Vietnam Bar Federation and Mr. Doan Van Thanh, Doan Thi Huong's father, attended the trial.
The Ambassador also thanked Malaysian lawyers and the Vietnam Bar Federation for their efforts and close cooperation in protecting Huong’s rights. Mr. Quynh emphasized that Doan Thi Huong is a victim in the case, just like Indonesian citizen Siti Aisyah. The Ambassador said that Huong will continue to be detained and will complete procedures to return to Vietnam in early May.
In the morning session of April 1, Malaysian prosecutors proposed to prosecute Doan Thi Huong for "intentionally causing injury by dangerous means or weapons" instead of murder in the case of killing North Korean citizen Kim Chol. Judge Azmin Ariffin sentenced Doan Thi Huong to 3 years and 4 months in prison. Accordingly, she will be released in June 2020 if the time Huong has been detained during her trial since February 15, 2017 is deducted. Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Doan Thi Huong's lawyer, said that sentence reductions are often applied in the Malaysian legal system and she will be released next month.
Huong and Siti Aisyah were accused of using the nerve agent VX to kill Kim Chol, who the US and South Korea say is the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia in February 2017. Aisyah was released on bail on March 11.
After the trial, Doan Thi Huong and her father, Doan Van Thanh, thanked the Vietnamese government, relevant agencies and lawyers for their efforts to protect Huong's rights.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is coordinating with relevant agencies to take necessary measures to bring Huong back home safely.
Talk toVnExpressMr. Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor, President of the Malaysian Bar Association, assessed that the early release of Doan Thi Huong is a positive judgment.
"Based on the facts of the entire trial, it is good that the charges against Huong have been changed," said Abdul Fareed.
