Long An: four men prosecuted for abusing rights to freedom and democracy

The Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in Long An affirms that the establishment, now named "Thien am ben bo vu tru", is not under the management of the VBS’s Long An chapter. (Photo: tuoitre.vn)

Long An (VNA) – Police in Duc Hoa district of the Mekong Delta province of Long An on January 7 issued decisions to prosecute four individuals living at a family Buddhist worship place named “Tinh that bong lai" in Hoa Khanh Tay commune for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate interests of the State, rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals” under Article 331 of the 2015 Penal Code (revised and supplemented in 2017). 

According to Deputy Director of the provincial police Colonel Van Cong Minh, the district police investigation agency also issued decisions on the arrest of Le Thanh Hoan Nguyen, 32; Le Thanh Nhat Nguyen, 31; and Le Thanh Trung Duong, 28. Meanwhile, the 90-year-old defendant Le Tung Van was banned from leaving the residential place. 

These decisions have been approved by the People's Procuracy of Duc Hoa district.

The case is brought to light after the police received numerous complaints from citizens about the establishment, which said the establishment’s founder - Cao Thi Cuc, took advantage of religions and charitable activities for her own benefits.

The Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in Long An affirmed that the establishment, now named "Thien am ben bo vu tru", is not under the management of the VBS’s Long An chapter, and those living there are not Buddhist monks and nuns.

Initial investigations reveal that 62-year-old Cuc has turned the nearly 2,000sq.m land lot in Hoa Khanh Tay commune, Duc Hoa district, into a family worship place after purchasing it in 2014.

Van, moved in to live with Cuc in 2015, earning his living on child adoption.

In fact, most of the children the group announced to be orphans or homeless are living with their mothers in the worship place that accommodates 18 people, of whom six are with their mothers.

The establishment has called for support from donors at home and abroad for the children under the cover of caring for orphans, thus  affecting social security and order and causing public concern.

Notably, the group has used different social network accounts to publish video clips distorting the fact about the case./.