The Supreme People’s Court in the central city of Da Nang on Dec. 7 handed out a sentence of 12 months probation to Tran Van Thanh, a former chief inspector and Major General at the Ministry of Public Security.

Thanh and his accomplices, including former police officers Lieutenant Colonel Duong Tien, Major Dinh Cong Sat and Nguyen Phi Duy Linh, were charged with “abusing freedom and democratic rights to infringe upon the State interests, and the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals.”

At the first trial, held in Da Nang People’s Court last August, Thanh was sentenced to 18 months probation.

The Supreme People’s Court also sentenced Tien to 17 months and five days in jail and Linh to three years - the same sentences they received at the first trial.

The court did not consider the case of Sat, who got 12 months’ probation and 22 months on bail at the first trial, because he did not lodge an appeal.

According to the indictment, from late 2005 to late 2007, Thanh, Linh and Tien conspired to abuse the freedom and democratic rights by providing Sat with documents from Da Nang People’s Procuracy and other sources that contained false information about a number of Da Nang ’s civic leaders.

Sat then lodged a complaint against various Da Nang officials, which affected security, social order and the daily operations of State agencies.

All these acts broke the law, causing disorder in Da Nang and other localities before, during and after the elections for the 12th National Assembly./.