The Court of Appeals at the Ho Chi Minh City Chamber of the Supreme People’s Court onMay 13 commuted Lo Thanh Thao’s prison sentence from three and a halfyears to two years.
Thao, born in southern Dong Naiprovince in 1977, was charged with “conducting propaganda against theState of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. When she is released shewill serve two years’ probation, according to the court.
In court, Thao pleaded guilty to all charges declared by the lowercourt, and showed repentance for her wrong doings. She begged the juryto reduce her sentence as she said the first term given was too strict.
She said her crimes derived from homosexual relations andshe was incited and exploited by bad people and did not have anti-Statesentiment. In addition, her family conditions are very difficult, withan old mother lacking care, she added.
The jurysaid that Thao committed her crime passively from homosexual feelingsand she was instigated and exploited by wrongdoers and did not haveanti-State motivation.
Although the lower courtconsidered mitigating circumstances for Thao, the jury still decided togrant clemency to her and commute part of her sentence.
This was also the viewpoint of a representative from the Supreme People’s Procuracy at the court.
According to the indictment, in early 2010, Thao became acquaintedwith Nguyen Thi Nhi from the US via the Internet, and received atelephone, a laptop and 490 USD from Nhi to spread leaflets with contentagainst the Vietnamese State .
On March 20, 2012, Thao transported 2,000 leaflets from Dong Naiprovince to Thu Thiem Bridge, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi MinhCity, to spread around the city.
Four days later, she flyposted more leaflets in District 1. Thao filmedand photographed her work and emailed her actions to Nhi.
On March 26, Thao was arrested by Binh Tan district police when shewas found taking photos of complainants gathering at a restricted area.-VNA
Thao, born in southern Dong Naiprovince in 1977, was charged with “conducting propaganda against theState of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. When she is released shewill serve two years’ probation, according to the court.
In court, Thao pleaded guilty to all charges declared by the lowercourt, and showed repentance for her wrong doings. She begged the juryto reduce her sentence as she said the first term given was too strict.
She said her crimes derived from homosexual relations andshe was incited and exploited by bad people and did not have anti-Statesentiment. In addition, her family conditions are very difficult, withan old mother lacking care, she added.
The jurysaid that Thao committed her crime passively from homosexual feelingsand she was instigated and exploited by wrongdoers and did not haveanti-State motivation.
Although the lower courtconsidered mitigating circumstances for Thao, the jury still decided togrant clemency to her and commute part of her sentence.
This was also the viewpoint of a representative from the Supreme People’s Procuracy at the court.
According to the indictment, in early 2010, Thao became acquaintedwith Nguyen Thi Nhi from the US via the Internet, and received atelephone, a laptop and 490 USD from Nhi to spread leaflets with contentagainst the Vietnamese State .
On March 20, 2012, Thao transported 2,000 leaflets from Dong Naiprovince to Thu Thiem Bridge, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi MinhCity, to spread around the city.
Four days later, she flyposted more leaflets in District 1. Thao filmedand photographed her work and emailed her actions to Nhi.
On March 26, Thao was arrested by Binh Tan district police when shewas found taking photos of complainants gathering at a restricted area.-VNA
