Hoang Duc Binh sentenced to 14 years in prison

Hoang Duc Binh and Nguyen Nam Phong are on trial.

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of February 6, in Vinh City, the first instance trial of the criminal case against the defendants Hoang Duc Binh (born 1983, Hung Trung commune, Hung Nguyen district), Nguyen Nam Phong (born 1980, Son Hai commune, Quynh Luu district) took place.

On the afternoon of February 6, after the first-instance trial, the People's Court of Dien Chau District (Nghe An) sentenced Hoang Duc Binh (35 years old, Hung Trung Commune, Hung Nguyen) to 7 years in prison for "Resisting a person on official duty" and 7 years in prison for "Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the rights and interests of organizations and citizens". The total sentence that this defendant must receive is 14 years in prison.

Meanwhile, defendant Nguyen Nam Phong (38 years old, Son Hai commune, Quynh Luu district), received 2 years in prison for the crime of "Resisting a person on official duty".

Hoang Duc Binh at today's trial. Photo: PV

According to the People's Court, on February 14, 2017, Hoang Duc Binh, Nguyen Nam Phong and many others traveled from Song Ngoc parish (Quynh Luu district) to Ha Tinh under the name of suing Formosa Company. Hundreds of people traveling on many means of transport affected traffic safety on National Highway 1A.

When the convoy reached Dien Hong commune (Dien Chau district), the traffic police organized traffic flow and restored order. However, Binh, who was sitting in the car, urged the driver, Nguyen Nam Phong, to close the car door and disobey the police's orders.

The car then stopped right on Highway 1A, causing a serious traffic jam, lasting about 5 km in both directions.

Nguyen Nam Phong sincerely pleaded guilty and asked for a reduced sentence.

In addition, on his personal Facebook, Hoang Duc Binh has repeatedly live-streamed images and words slandering the authorities, inciting and distorting the truth.

At today's trial, Binh showed no remorse. Meanwhile, Nguyen Nam Phong confessed honestly and recognized his crime, asking the panel of judges to consider reducing his sentence.

The judge announced the verdict. Photo: PV

Previously, during his time living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh participated in a number of opposition organizations, associations, and groups, such as "NoU Saigon" and "Vietnam Labor Movement". On December 25, 2015, Hoang Duc Binh distributed leaflets in Ho Chi Minh City and was temporarily detained by Ho Chi Minh City Police for 24 hours to investigate the act of distributing leaflets to attract people to join the "Independent Union"; he was fined VND 24,000,000 for violating regulations on storing, distributing publications and printed products that are not publications (Article 27, Decree 159/ND-2013 dated November 12, 2013 of the Government regulating administrative sanctions in the field of journalism and publishing), but Binh did not pay the fine and fled to Nghe An.

Defense lawyers and defendant Hoang Duc Binh at the trial - Photo: PV

After returning to Nghe An, Hoang Duc Binh frequently posted and shared on his personal Facebook information and propaganda documents that slandered the regime and promoted the movement for pluralism and multi-partyism. Taking advantage of the environmental incident in the central coastal region, as Vice President of the “Vietnamese Labor Movement”, Hoang Duc Binh promoted and established the “Central Fishermen’s Association” with the intention of creating a peripheral organization, gathering forces, attracting Catholics and fishermen from the central region to join the organization; searching for a “nucleus” to incite protests and disrupt security and order.

The verdict was highly appreciated by the majority of people attending the trial, and is a lesson and warning for those who still intend to disregard the law and go against the interests of the people.