Thai Binh (VNA) – The People’s Court ofnorthern Thai Binh province sentenced Nguyen Van Tuc to 13 years in jail for “attemptingto overthrow the people’s administration” under Clause 1, Article 79 of the 1999Penal Code at the first-instance trial on April 10.
The 54-year-old man, a resident in Thai Binh’s Dong Hungdistrict, will also be under probation for five years after he completes theprison term.
According to the indictment by the provincial People’sProcuracy, Nguyen Van Tuc has been recruited by foreign and domesticreactionary elements to join several organisations, for example, “Dang Dan Chu21” (democratic party 21), “Hoi Dan Oan” (association for victims ofinjustice), “Nhom dan chu” (democratic group), and “Khoi 8406” (Bloc 8406)since 2006. Tuc also received financial support and spiritual encouragement tobecome a “leader” responsible for recruiting members.
In December 2007, Tuc participated in demonstrations inHanoi, then wrote and published stories containing wrong information on theInternet. In 2008, he and some others distributed anti-State propagandaleaflets in Hai Phong and Hai Duong.
Tuc was taken into custody by the police on September 10,2008 and prosecuted on the charge of “conducting propaganda against the Stateof the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. Later, the Supreme People’s Court inHanoi sentenced Tuc to four years in prison and another 3 years under probation.
After four years in prison, he returned to his hometownin Dong La commune, Dong Hung district, Thai Binh to serve the 3-year probationin 2012. However, he did not abide by the sentence and continued hisanti-government activities by joining Viet Tan, a terrorist organisation,assuming the role as a member of the anti-corruption advisory committee.
In February 2014, Tuc took part in the “Hoi anh em danchu” (Brotherhood for Democracy) which was a reactionary organisation involvingin illegal activities aiming to eliminate the leadership of the Communist Partyof Vietnam and overthrow the people’s administration. In this organisation, Tucused to serve as deputy chief of the representative committee in northernVietnam and first vice president.
At the April 10 trial, the court said Tuc’s acts directlythreatened national security.-VNA