Defendant Vu Tien Chi at the trial on March 30 (Photo: VNA) The verdict was announced by the provincial People’s Court at thefirst-instance trial on March 30.
The Lam Dong People’s Procuracy said in its indictment that, from early 2018,Vu Tien Chi, residing in Bao Loc city, learned of information posted by foreignpress outlets and websites that criticised the guidelines and policies of theVietnamese Party and State, distorted history, and defamed late President HoChi Minh and State leaders. He then frequently filed denunciations andcomplaints, with wrong content and images, about local police officers andofficials.
Chi also created twoFacebook accounts, “ChiVu” and “Chi Vu”, to post and share 338 stories and 181live-stream videos, attracting thousands of views, comments, and shares. Thesevideos, live-streamed by Nguyen Thi Cam Thuy (in central coastal Khanh Hoaprovince and currently in police custody for investigation), distorted anddefamed the people’s administration while slandering and offending Party andState leaders.
Investigations show that these articles and videos contained one-sided andwrong information. Chi and Thuy were also found to have planned to encouragethose sharing similar views to set up a “self-proclaimed National Assembly” toestablish an opposition political organisation to replace the National Assemblyof the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Chi was detained by police on June 23, 2020.
Viewing his actions as dangerous for society, the jury decided to puthim behind bars for 10 years.
He will also be keptunder surveillance for three years upon his release./.
VNA
