Appeal trial of anti-state propaganda case
(Baonghean.vn) -On May 31, 2012, at the headquarters of the People's Court of Nghe An province, the Supreme People's Court of Appeal opened a criminal trial, hearing the appeal of the case of Vo Thi Thu Thuy (50 years old, residing in An Ninh commune, Quang Ninh district, Quang Binh) for the crime of "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam".
According to the indictment of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province, in May 2010, Vo Thi Thu Thuy from Quang Binh went to Nghe An to connect with Nguyen Van Ly (residing in Hue city, whose sentence was temporarily suspended for medical treatment). Nguyen Van Ly enticed and persuaded Vo Thi Thu Thuy to distribute documents to propagate against the State and the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Defendant Vo Thi Thu Thuy listens to the appellate court's verdict.
From August to October 2010, Vo Thi Thu Thuy, Nguyen Van Thanh and other subjects organized 4 times to distribute documents against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Communist Party of Vietnam in Nghi Loc and Hung Nguyen districts (Nghe An).
Nguyen Van Thanh was involved in a case of intentional injury and was prosecuted by Nghi Loc District Police. When searching Thanh's house, the authorities discovered and seized a number of anti-Party and anti-State documents, so the case was transferred to the Nghe An Provincial Police Department for Security Investigation. Based on Thanh's testimony, on March 22, 2011, Vo Thi Thu Thuy was also arrested by the authorities.
On March 6, 2012, the People's Court of Nghe An province held a first-instance trial and sentenced Vo Thi Thu Thuy to 5 years in prison and Nguyen Van Thanh to 3 years in prison for propagandizing against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Vo Thi Thu Thuy asked for a reduced sentence because her awareness was limited and she was lured into committing the crime by others, and now she repents and reformed. The representative of the Supreme People's Procuracy also requested the Appellate Court to reduce the sentence for the defendant, to demonstrate the leniency policy of the Party and State towards criminals who are conscious, active and have reformed well.
The Supreme People's Court of Appeal has agreed to reduce the sentence from 5 years to 4 years in prison for defendant Vo Thi Thu Thuy for the crime of "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam".
Nguyen Lam
