At the first instance trial which was held on October 31 (Photo: VNA)
Binh Thuan (VNA) – The People’s Court of Phan Thiet city inthe central province of Binh Thuan handed down prison sentences of between2-3.5 years on 30 defendants for their disturbance of publicorder at the provincial People’s Committee headquarters in June, at the firstinstance-trial on October 31.
According to the indictment, the disturbance began in Phan Thiet city atabout 5pm on June 10, when a group of people gathered and moved from Phan Thietmarket to the provincial People’s Committee headquarters to protest a draft lawon special administrative-economic units.
They shouted and jostled police and guards of the building and incitedbystanders to attack police with bricks and stones.
Some even attacked police with homemade petrol bombs, stones and someother tools, going on to destroy the fence and burn the sentry box and severalrooms of the sentry force. They also damaged the fence around some otherprovincial agencies.
Traffic near the administration’s headquarters was disrupted, while severalfacilities were damaged.
Police were sent to the site and the crowd only began to dissolve atmidnight of June 10.
Police statistics claimed that, three automobiles, 17 motorbikes, and one water pump were burned down. As many as 15 computers weredestroyed, while two laptops were stolen. The rioters also damaged some assets ofother provincial agencies and wounded many police officers.
The defendants were convicted of “causing public disorder” in accordancewith Clause 2, Article 318 of the 2015 Penal Code.
The jury found the actions of the defendants extremely serious,disrupting public safety and affecting the locality’s political security andsocial order.
To prevent similar crimes, strict punishment should be imposed,it said.
Accordingly, Nguyen Quoc Hue was sentenced to three years and six monthsin prison. Pham Van Chung, Truong Minh Tai, Le Nhut Ban, Nguyen Quy Lai, TranVan Cong, and Tang Thanh Thuan, each received three years in prison.
Nguyen Tan Thong, Tran The Nghia, Truong Gia Quoc Huy, Nguyen ToanTrung, Tran Minh Thien, Nguyen Thi Nham, Do Van Tai, Tran Thi Mai Huong, TranVan Tuan, and Truong Cong Hieu will each serve two years and six months behindbars.
The jury also gave jail sentences of two years and three months to DoVan Co, Dong Kim Hung, Nguyen Huu Thai, and Nguyen Dinh Dong; and two years to PhamMinh Tung, Dang Ngoc Hoa, Dinh Dinh Tai, Nguyen Sinh, Doan Thi Hanh Thuong,Tran Trong Tien, Nguyen Van Khanh, Chung Kim Thanh, and Huynh Huu Long.
The jury said, during the investigation, some defendants had told thetruth and admitted their acts were illegal, while some others had yet to reach18 years old at the time of the incident. Thus, they were given extenuatingcircumstances.–VNA
