Malaysian lawyer visits Vietnam to meet Doan Thi Huong's parents

During a meeting with the parents of Doan Thi Huong - accused of killing North Korean citizen Kim Chol - lawyer Daniel Shanmugam agreed to defend her, saying Huong was healthy and always claimed innocence.

Lawyer Shanmugam (right) and Doan Thi Huong's father (middle). Photo: AH

On the afternoon of March 5, Malaysian lawyer Shanmugam appeared at Ha Hai Law Office in Ho Chi Minh City - the person who will assist him in defending Doan Thi Huong during her trial in Malaysia on charges of murdering North Korean citizen Kim Chol.

Last night, Mr. Shanmugam and his team met Huong's family in Nam Dinh. Huong's parents were very happy to hear that their daughter was being protected by Mr. Shanmugam. They provided all the information the lawyer asked about Huong's life from the past until now, her relationships.

Hearing the lawyer say that Huong was healthy and continued to assert her innocence, Huong's father was in tears. He and his wife earnestly hoped that the lawyers would defend Huong. He also wrote a letter, asking Mr. Shanmugam to send to his daughter.

Mr. Shanmugam will return to Malaysia tonight, and is expected to meet Doan Thi Huong tomorrow morning.

Huong's father wrote a letter to his daughter through lawyer Shanmugam. Photo: AH

Doan Thi Huong, one defendant and four others (still at large) were accused of plotting to murder a North Korean citizen whose passport name is Kim Chol at 9am on February 13. The incident occurred at the departure hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport KILA2, Sepang, Sepang District, Selangor Darul Ehsan State.

Malaysian officials believe the victim in the case was Kim Jong-nam, the elder brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. However, this view has been rejected by Pyongyang.

Doan Thi Huong was indicted by the Sepang District Court in Malaysia on March 1 for murdering a North Korean citizen whose passport name is Kim Chol. Huong faces the death penalty if convicted. The case has been transferred to the Shah Alam High Court, scheduled for April 13. Since her arrest, Huong has been claiming innocence.

Recently, the Vietnam Bar Federation sent a document to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting to participate in providing judicial support for Huong.Malaysia and Vietnam have not signed a treaty on mutual legal assistance and Vietnamese lawyerscannot participate in defending Huong.

"The best way is to use diplomatic channels for Vietnamese lawyers to provide legal support to Doan Thi Huong," said Do Ngoc Thinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Bar Federation.

According to VNE