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Nguyen Phuong Hang and her accomplices in court |
On September 21, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City held a first-instance trial for the case of Nguyen Phuong Hang, 52, General Director of Dai Nam JS Corporation (Dai Nam Group), and her accomplices on charges of Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the rights, and legitimate interests of organizations and individuals.
Around 8:00 p.m. on the same day, the court delivered its judgment. Defendant Hang received a 3-year prison sentence. Her accomplice, defendant Dang Anh Quan (Ph.D. in Law and university lecturer), was sentenced to 2 years and six months in prison. The other three defendants, all employees of Dai Nam Group —Nguyen Thi Mai Nhi, Le Thi Thu Ha, and Huynh Cong Tan— received a 1-year and 6-month prison term each.
In her defense, defendant Hang shed tears, admitted her wrongdoing, and offered apologies to authorities at all levels, as well as to those she may have unintentionally or intentionally harmed. She expressed her desire to return promptly to resume her contributions to the community.
However, during the court proceedings, defendant Hang remained steadfast in her decision not to apologize to singers Vy Oanh and Thuy Tien, asserting that her 18-month detention had constituted a significant enough penalty.
Defendant Quan actively interacted and directly engaged in discussions with defendant Hang during 11 livestream sessions, bolstering her spirits and strengthening her determination to commit the criminal act. Concurrently, defendants Nhi, Ha, and Tan aided defendant Hang in creating and overseeing social media accounts, crafting content, setting up the stage, and publishing defendant Hang's posts online as per her instructions. These individuals were recognized as accomplices in the case, providing support to defendant Hang.
The trial panel concluded that defendant Hang played the role of initiator, director, and recruiter in the commission of the criminal act. Meanwhile, defendant Quan provided moral encouragement and furthered Hang's determination to carry out the crime.
During the livestream on December 24, 2021, defendant Quan made statements characterized as distortions, fabrications, and insults against the reputation, honor, and dignity of Vo Nguyen Hoai Linh. Although defendant Quan claimed to be wrongly accused, the prosecution maintained that, based on the investigative process and the testimonies of the defendants in court, there was sufficient evidence to establish the aforementioned criminal acts. Consequently, defendants Hang and Quan are subject to a more severe sentence compared to the other defendants.
