The male defendant asked to receive the death penalty for the crime of... unfilial piety.

Just out of prison and transporting drugs

Nguyen Van Hong is the fifth child in a family of six siblings. In 2006, after graduating from a specialized school of electricity, Hong went to work at a hydroelectric construction site in the area. But after working for a short time, Hong "got into" drugs. At first, this young man hid it, but then the drug habit became more severe, and he had no money to buy drugs, so he could no longer hide it from anyone. Mr. Kh. and Mrs. T. cried their eyes out to advise their son. When he was sober, Hong tried to struggle, determined to quit drugs, but when his addiction took over, he forgot everything. In 2006, Hong was arrested for his involvement in a drug case and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Defendant Nguyen Van Hong. Photo: Tran Vu

Within the four walls of the prison, Hong felt the price of youthful rashness. Her mother's tears, her father's advice and encouragement, and the help of the prison officers gave Hong the motivation to reform, hoping to soon be released from prison and start a new life. Thanks to her good behavior, Hong had her sentence reduced and was released early in 2018. Although her parents and siblings were always there to encourage and support her, Hong continued to be a "disciple" of the "brown fairy".

According to the indictment, at about 10:25 a.m. on December 19, 2021, the authorities arrested Nguyen Van Hong and seized a package of drugs weighing nearly 960 grams on the luggage rack of the passenger bus while Hong was traveling from Que Phong district to Yen Thanh district.drugThis was hired by a man named Nguyen The Anh to transport Hong to deliver to a customer. When Hong was arrested, the authorities pursued The Anh but he had fled his residence.

Twisting and turning to deny the crime

On December 13, 2022, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a trial for defendant Nguyen Van Hong on charges of "Illegal transportation of narcotics". At the trial, defendant Hong did not admit that the drugs were his. This defendant affirmed that when he got on the bus, he did not bring any luggage. During the investigation, at one point Hong said that he was holding a bag containing drugs belonging to Nguyen The Anh, and at another time he said that he brought the bag onto the bus but to visit a sick relative. This defendant did not acknowledge the content of the statements during the investigation at the time of his arrest at Que Phong District Police and claimed that he had only signed "in vain" on a blank piece of paper.

Defendant Nguyen Van Hong at the trial taking place on December 13, 2022. Photo: Tran Vu

At the trial held on November 7, the Trial Council summoned witnesses. According to the bus driver's testimony, Hong was the first person to get on the bus, carrying luggage, placed in the third row. The Trial Council also announced Hong's statements and self-statements during the investigation, the audio and video recording of the interrogation of Hong showing that there was no forced confession, prompting, or torture, the statements signed by Hong at the end of the interrogation session, along with the statements of the witnesses as well as other documents... These evidences prove that the Nghe An Provincial People's Procuracy prosecuted Nguyen Van Hong for "Illegal transportation of narcotics" with the right person, the right crime, and the right law.

Please accept the death penalty for the crime of…disobedience

At the time Hong was arrested, his father, over 70 years old, had a brain tumor and had to be treated in the hospital. Shortly after, Hong's mother also had to undergo surgery for thyroid cancer. At the time the trial first opened on November 7, Hong's father had just undergone brain surgery and was being monitored and treated intensively at the hospital, but he and his wife still took a motorbike taxi to the court hoping to see their child.

Attending this trial, his family said that he had finished surgery, and despite his poor health, he still went to court to see Hong. In the cold weather, he sat shivering, absentmindedly looking at his son from afar. Hong's mother, with tears streaming down her face, told her son to try to reform so that he would have a chance to return. She informed her son that his father would soon have to undergo another kidney surgery... Hearing his mother speak, Hong could only bow his head in silence.

Seeing her parents at the trial, Hong repeatedly apologized and told them, “You two just live happily, I can take care of myself,” Hong turned her head and said. A moment later, the defendant told her again, “Remember to bring me some warm clothes, it’s cold in there.” Listening to her son talk, the mother said that today she brought some warm clothes in a plastic bag to bring down to her son. However, according to regulations, the grandparents had to take those items to the detention center before they could send them in.

In his final statement before the court entered into deliberation, the defendant asked the court to consider issuing an “appropriate sentence”. “If I receive a 20-year or life sentence, my parents will probably no longer be here when I return. As a child, not returning to burn incense when my parents die is the greatest crime of unfilial piety. If I receive the death penalty, I will likely die before my parents, and I will not be able to burn incense for them. I have committed the crime of unfilial piety, so I ask the court to give me the death penalty,” defendant Hong told the court, then turned to apologize to his elderly parents sitting below.

Image of the defendant's parents leaving court. Photo: Tran Vu

After deliberating, the panel of judges concluded that after a comprehensive review of the case, the documents and evidence examined were sufficient to confirm that the Nghe An Provincial People's Procuracy's prosecution of Nguyen Van Hong was the right person, the right crime, and the right law. The defendant had been sentenced to prison for drug use but did not take that as a lesson and continued to reoffend. In this case, the amount of drugs the defendant transported was large, so it was necessary to impose a severe penalty commensurate with the defendant's criminal behavior and to have a general deterrent and preventive effect. Therefore, the court sentenced defendant Nguyen Van Hong to life imprisonment.

Hearing the verdict, he smiled wryly and turned to greet his parents and relatives. Being old and weak, Hong's parents didn't bother to follow their son to the covered truck and quietly left the court. The mother with silver hair helped her husband down the stairs with one hand and carried a plastic bag containing some clothes for her son with the other. As she walked, she encouraged her husband to try to go to the detention center to send his belongings to his son. In the cold weather, the two old bodies leaned against each other, trembling with each step as they left the court...

With a life sentence, Nguyen Van Hong's return date is still far away, while his parents are getting older and weaker, not knowing if they will be able to wait for their son to return... Through this, I hope to awaken those who have lost their way to turn back soon before it's too late, so as not to have to say words of regret and disrespect to their parents!