Journalists must be considered to perform special duties, for public opinion!

Mr. Minh explained: “The handling here is not just like resisting a normal public official, but must be considered as resisting someone who makes society healthy. The scope of this public service is broader, that is public opinion.”

Blood-stained helmet saves life of journalist Do Doan Hoang (Photo: Lao Dong)

After Lao Dong Newspaper published the news about the brutal assault on journalist Do Doan Hoang, many individuals and organizations spoke up, asking law enforcement agencies to resolutely find the perpetrator and protect the journalist. PV had an interview with Mr. Phan Huu Minh, Head of the Inspection Committee of the Journalists Association, about this issue.

Sir, as soon as we heard that journalist Do Doan Hoang was brutally assaulted, as the Head of the Inspection Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association, could you please tell us what steps the Association took to protect its members?

Since this morning, we have received information from Lao Dong Newspaper, specifically Editor-in-Chief Tran Duy Phuong has provided initial information about the incident. The leaders of the association have informed about the incident. The Vietnam Journalists Association, I am the Head of the Inspection Committee and comrade Ho Quang Loi are very interested in this incident. Immediately, this morning, a document was prepared to report. The General Confederation of Labor has sent an official dispatch to the Hoang Mai District Police requesting that agencies and branches encourage and help Journalist Do Doan Hoang to stabilize his mental health, quickly heal his wounds to continue working.

On the part of the authorities tasked with protecting the law, the Vietnam Journalists Association requests that the authorities quickly find the perpetrators and deal with them strictly before the law. The act of assaulting journalists and reporters is a condemnable act.

Currently, the motive and purpose of the subjects who caused this assault have not been determined, but according to Journalist Do Doan Hoang, these subjects do not know each other and do not have any grudges. It is suspected that this is due to the Journalist's investigative articles. Before becoming a journalist, Mr. Hoang was a citizen, and beating citizens is a violation of the law. And beating people whose anti-negative press works have a great impact on society must be condemned even more.

The Vietnam Journalists Association strongly opposes any acts of assault or obstruction of journalists.

Mr. Phan Huu Minh, member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Inspection Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association (Photo: Thai Nguyen Television Station)

Sir, just a rough estimate, within one year, there have been dozens of cases of assault and obstruction of journalists from their work. In your opinion, what sanctions are needed to protect journalists?

In fact, the Press Law and other laws already have sanctions. Sanctions for physical violence, physical assault, and death are all already in place. Given this situation, measures must be taken on the spot to strictly handle those who commit these acts.

Handling here is not just handling as against normal public servants, but must be considered as against those who work to improve society. The scope of this public service is broader, that is public opinion.

In other words, with their articles, journalists can warn of changing perceptions, or prevent a certain risk from exposing negative things. When journalists are assaulted for this reason, the social consequences will be huge.

For example, when journalist Nguyen Ngoc Quang of Thai Nguyen Radio and Television was assaulted, the police established a team determined to investigate and arrest the ringleader. Although at one point this subject intended to flee abroad, with the determination of the Thai Nguyen provincial police, the case had results. The case will soon be brought to trial as a deterrent. This is also the move of the functional sectors to support the journalist. The law enforcement agencies did not consider these cases as normal but as very serious cases.

I hope that law enforcement agencies will also follow that direction.

Currently, in the National Assembly, when discussing the revised press law, there are opinions that it is necessary to include the activities of journalists in the performance of public duties, but there are also opposing opinions. So what is your opinion on this issue?

Except for those who write on social media for fun, for journalists who work, have a press card, and go on a mission assigned by their agency, that is official duty.

This is not a personal story, people write works not to put them away, to read for fun but to promote that journalistic work widely. Therefore, in my opinion, it should be called public service. For example, Do Doan Hoang is on his way to carry out the assigned tasks of his agency. And if it is an agency's work, it is public service, it cannot be considered private.

There is an opinion that it is necessary to agree that if a journalist is beaten while working or for the reason of revenge against a journalist, there is no need to assess the injury but can be prosecuted before the law. That means that even if the injury is 0%, it can still be prosecuted. What is your comment on this opinion?

Sometimes hitting is not as painful as threatening and mentally terrorizing. This may not involve beating or assaulting, but the consequences are very serious. For example, threatening messages and mental terrorizing. Therefore, I support this opinion. In my opinion, it depends on each profession, each specific task to apply specifically.

So what do you think when some recent cases involving assaults on journalists show signs of fading away?

Through practical experience, there are several reasons for the “sunk” cases, one of which is human-based. That is, whether the local leaders are determined to do something or for some other reason.

In my opinion, in general, if there is determination, I think that the cases of beating journalists cannot go unpunished.

According to Infonet