Many details need to be clarified in the case of prosecuting journalists

The Investigation Police Agency of Yen Bai Province has prosecuted and temporarily detained journalist Le Duy Phong for 4 months.

Image of journalist Duy Phong being arrested while receiving money from a business

The Investigation Police Agency of Yen Bai Province has prosecuted and temporarily detained journalist Le Duy Phong, Head of the Readers' Department of the Vietnam Education e-newspaper, for 4 months to investigate the act of abusing his position and power to appropriate property.

Caught on the drinking table

On the afternoon of June 26, Mr. Nguyen Tien Binh, Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam Education e-newspaper, said that on the morning of the same day, he represented the agency to work with the Yen Bai City Police Department regarding the arrest of journalist Le Duy Phong. Accordingly, the Deputy Head of the Yen Bai City Police Department informed the leaders of the Vietnam Education e-newspaper about the legal proceedings that had been carried out, so that the agency with the arrested journalist could get the information.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Binh said that at the meeting, the Vietnam Education electronic newspaper made a number of recommendations to the police investigation agency. First of all, the newspaper requested the police investigation agency of Yen Bai City Police to comply with the provisions of the law to ensure that there is no forced confession or torture, and to ensure adequate rights for journalist Phong.

Second, request the police investigation agency to ensure the most favorable conditions for lawyers to access the arrested journalist. Third, request to transfer the case file to the Ministry of Public Security to ensure objectivity. This request was made because journalist Le Duy Phong was the one who directly conducted a series of investigative articles about the villa of the Director of Yen Bai Provincial Police, so if Yen Bai Police investigate, it is feared that objectivity will not be guaranteed.

"I also requested bail for Mr. Phong, but the investigation agency said they would consider and respond based on legal regulations," Mr. Binh informed, adding that on the day Mr. Phong was arrested, the Vietnam Education newspaper did not send this journalist on a mission, at that time Mr. Phong only went out, met friends and drank.

Previously, on June 23, the Investigation Police Agency of Yen Bai City Police issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute Mr. Phong for the crime of Abusing power and position to appropriate property. These decisions were approved by the People's Procuracy of the same level on June 25.

Get money to ignore corporate wrongdoing?

According to information provided by Yen Bai City Police to the press, at 12:45 on June 22, the Investigation Police Agency of Yen Bai City Police caught journalist Le Duy Phong red-handed receiving money from a business at Oanh Hien restaurant (group 66, Nguyen Thai Hoc ward, Yen Bai city). This money receiving is believed to be to ignore the wrongdoings of the business that gave the money.

On the afternoon of June 26, Yen Bai Provincial Police officially informed about the incident. Lieutenant Colonel Chu Van Hai, Deputy Chief of Staff of Yen Bai Provincial Police, said that at the time of the arrest, the police determined that Le Duy Phong received 50 million VND from a business, however, he refused to disclose information about this business because he believed that it was necessary to protect the victim. In addition, according to the initial statement, Phong also received hundreds of millions of VND from a number of other individuals and businesses in the area.

Regarding some information that Yen Bai City Police had "set a trap" to arrest Le Duy Phong, the representative of the provincial police said that the arrest was well-founded, the investigation agency worked according to regulations and was responsible before the law. When the press asked a series of other questions such as the relationship between Le Duy Phong and the business that gave the money; did Le Duy Phong threaten or suggest that the business give the money or not; when caught red-handed, was the 50 million VND left on the table or put in Phong's pocket; what was the purpose of the business giving the money; what were the signs and grounds for initiating the case and prosecuting the accused; there was information that when arrested, the business provided the serial number of the money to the police, when checked it was completely correct, was it pre-arranged... However, Lieutenant Colonel Hai said that the case was under investigation so he could not provide information yet.

In another development, Mr. Ho Quang Loi, Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said that he had assigned the Head of the Inspection Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association to contact the authorities responsible for the arrest of journalist Le Duy Phong to have a more thorough understanding of the case. "Only when there is relatively accurate information can the Association take appropriate action," Mr. Loi said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Phan Huu Minh, Head of the Inspection Committee, Vietnam Journalists Association added that at the meeting of the Propaganda Committee this morning (June 27), the leaders of the Vietnam Education electronic newspaper will specifically report the entire incident.

According to Traffic Newspaper