Nguyen Nang Tinh sentenced to 11 years in prison for anti-state propaganda

Court scene. Photo: NPV

Previously, on May 27, 2019, the Investigation Security Agency of Nghe An Provincial Police issued a decision to prosecute the case, prosecute the accused and issue an arrest warrant for temporary detention against Nguyen Nang Tinh (born October 4, 1976, hometown Quynh Hung commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province; residing in hamlet 6, Nghi Phu commune, Vinh city; teacher at Nghe An College of Culture and Arts) for the crime of "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information and documents aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 117 of the Penal Code.

According to the investigation results of the Nghe An Police Security Investigation Agency, on September 20, 2018, the investigation agency received Official Dispatch No. 1083/STTT-Ttra dated September 19, 2018 of the Department of Information and Communications of Nghe An province (with related documents) on the discovery that on the personal electronic information page on the social network Facebook named Nguyen Nang Tinh, address https://www.facebook.com/nguyennangtinh (abbreviated as Nguyen Nang Tinh Facebook page) posted and shared a number of articles, images, and videos with signs of violating the provisions of law on management, provision and use of internet services and information on the network. The Nghe An Police Security Investigation Agency has conducted an investigation and verified the source of information about the crime according to regulations.

Defendant Nguyen Nang Tinh at the trial. Photo: NPV

Investigation results show that Nguyen Nang Tinh's Facebook was created and operated since 2011. As of June 17, 2018, this personal account was used to post and share many articles, images, and videos with illegal content. The Investigation Security Agency - Nghe An Provincial Police discovered and collected 22 articles, videos, and images posted and shared on Nguyen Nang Tinh's Facebook page to conduct investigation and verification.

Lawyers defending the defendant at the trial. Photo: NPV

Nguyen Nang Tinh, through his personal Facebook page, connected with a number of extremist and reactionary elements at home and abroad to write, film, distribute, post, share, and comment on content that distorts the nature of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, denies the revolutionary achievements of the nation; defames the people's government, distorts history, violates the people's government and the socialist regime, with the aim of opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; defames the leaders of the Party and State; incites people to protest and oppose the government; posts documents with fabricated content, causing confusion among the people; provides fabricated information to cause conflicts between the people and public authorities...

The documents, evidence and issues related to the case are clearly stated in the indictment presented by the representative of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province at the trial.

Debating and stating his views at the trial, the representative of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province stated that, based on the results of the investigation as well as the proceedings, there was sufficient basis to prosecute Nguyen Nang Tinh for the crime of: "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information and documents aimed at opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". This crime violates Points: a, b, c - Clause 1 - Article 117 of the Penal Code.

Based on a full and comprehensive review of documents, evidence, and opinions of the prosecutor and defense attorneys, the Trial Panel determined that: in terms of the nature of the crime, this is a very serious case, the defendant Nguyen Nang Tinh's actions were very dangerous, and occurred over a long period of time. The defendant took advantage of democratic freedoms in using his personal Facebook, took advantage of domestic political and social issues to distort history, incite the masses, distort, slander, and oppose the people's government...

Defendant Nguyen Nang Tinh committed the crime of: "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents, and items against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". Applying Points: a, b, c - Clause 1, Article 117; Article 44, Article 122 of the Penal Code, defendant Nguyen Nang Tinh was sentenced to 11 years in prison; the defendant was placed under probation for 5 years from the date of completion of the prison sentence.

The verdict was widely agreed upon by the court attendees, demonstrating the strictness of the law towards violations of Vietnamese law.

This is also a warning for those who take advantage of freedom of speech and social networks to post fabricated, distorted, and provocative information against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

NPV