The Appeal Court of the Supreme People’s Court on May 23 conducted an open re-trial of eight people previously convicted of “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s government” pursuant to Clauses 1 and 2, Article 79 of the Penal Code.

The trial in the central province of Nghe An was opened as the accused appealed against sentence No.01/2013/HSST announced by the People’s Court of Nghe An on January 9, 2013.

The court said legal criminal evidence and documents prove that Viet Tan (Vietnam Reform Party) is an overseas reactionary organisation that conducts a range of activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration. The defendants participated in Viet Tan’s schemes while fully aware of this fact, so the first instance sentence has good legal ground.

Meanwhile, some of the accused, particularly Le Van Son, confessed to their illegal misdeeds and expressed repentance, which helped them earn a reduced sentence. Le Van Son had his sentence reduced from 13 years to 4 years, while Nguyen Van Duyet, Nguyen Xuan Anh and Ho Van Oanh had their sentences reduced by 6 months, one year and six months, respectively.

The court upheld the prison sentences for Ho Duc Hoa, Nguyen Dinh Cuong, Tran Minh Nhat and Thai Van Dung.-VNA