Nguyen Van Tuc at the court (Photo: VNA)ThaiBinh (VNA) – The High-Level People’s Court in Hanoi upheld a jailsentence of 13 years handed down on 54-year-old Nguyen Van Tuc for “attemptingto overthrow the people’s administration” at an appeal trial in the northernprovince of Thai Binh on September 14.
Theruling was issued in accordance with Clause 1, Article 79 of the 1999 PenalCode.
Furthermore,Tuc, a resident in Dong La commune, Dong Hung district, Thai Binh province,will also be kept under surveillance for five years after he completes hisprison term.
Since 1997, Tuc has participated in lodgingcomplaints in his locality. He had been lured by foreign and domesticreactionary elements to join several organisations such as “Dang Dan Chu 21” (DemocraticParty 21), “Hoi Dan Oan” (Association for Victims of Injustice), “Nhom dan chu”(Democratic Group), and “Khoi 8406” (Bloc 8406) since 2006. Tuc also receivedfinancial and spiritual support to become a leader responsible for gathering forces.
In December 2007, Tuc participated indemonstrations in Hanoi,after which he wrote and published misinformed articles online. In 2008, he andsome others distributed anti-state propaganda leaflets in Hai Phong city andHai Duong province.
Tuc was taken into custody by the police on September10, 2008 and prosecuted under the charge of “conducting propaganda against theState of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. Later, the Supreme People’s Courtin Hanoisentenced Tuc to four years in prison and another 3 years under probation.
After four years in prison, he returned to hishometown in Dong La commune to serve the three-year probation in 2012. However,he did not abide by the sentence and continued his anti-government activities.
In February 2014, Tuc took part in “Hoi anh emdan chu” (Brotherhood for Democracy) which was a reactionary organisationinvolved in illegal activities aiming to eliminate the leadership of theCommunist Party of Vietnam and overthrow the people’s administration. In thisorganisation, Tuc served as deputy chief of the representative committee innorthern Vietnamand first vice president.
On September 1, 2017, the Investigation Security Agencyof the Thai Binh Police Department decided to prosecute Tuc, put him intemporary detention, and searched his residence.
At the first-instance trial on April 10, thePeople’s Court of Thai Binh province said Tuc’s acts directly threatenednational security and sentenced him 13 years in prison.–VNA
VNA
