The people’s court of Cam Le district in the central city of Da Nang sentenced Nguyen Huu Minh, who masterminded the public disturbance at the Con Dau cemetery, to 12 months in jail at a trial on Oct. 26.

Minh was charged with “causing public disorder” and “resisting on-duty officials”.

The court also gave a nine-month imprisonment term to Phan Thi Nhan, a 12-month suspension to Nguyen Huu Liem, and a nine-month suspension term each to Doan Cang, Nguyen Thi The, Le Thanh Lam and Tran Thanh Viet, on the same charges.

The defendants, with those having suspension terms released immediately after the trial closed, reside in Hoa Xuan ward in Cam Le district and Hoa Nhon commune in Hoa Van district.

According to the Cam Le District people’s procuracy, the defendants were involved in the public disturbance relating to the relocation of the Con Dau cemetery in Hoa Xuan ward for an eco-urban area development scheme.

Due to the Con Dau cemetery’s relocation, on March 19, 2010, the Cam Le district people’s committee announced a halt to funerals at the cemetery and removal of existing tombs to Hoa Son cemetery in Hoa Vang district in line with the Da Nang people’s committee’s regulations.

Enforcing the Cam Le district people’s committee’s announcement, the Hoa Xuan ward people’s committee issued an announcement on the cessation of burial services at the Con Dau cemetery from March 29, 2010.

In connection with the case, the seven defendants mentioned above had taken advantage of Dang Thi Tan’s funeral and incited a number of extremist elements, especially the deceased woman’s family, not to follow the Cam Le district people’s committee’s guidance and intentionally burry Tan’s body in the Con Dau cemetery.

The acts by these defendants and extremist elements caused public disorder and fights against the police in Con Dau hamlet, Hoa Xuan ward, Cam Le district, during the deceased woman’s funeral on May 4 and triggered serious security and social order consequences.

At the court, all defendants admitted their wrongdoings and showed repentance and the desire to redeem their faults./.