First published by Ohmynews on 2006-11-12 12:18 (KST)
Washington satisfied with light sentences
On Friday, Vietnam brought to trial seven dissidents, including three Vietnamese-American citizens, accused of terrorism. In a one-day trial, all seven were sentenced to 15 months in prison by a Vietnamese court.
Three U.S. citizens will be deported as soon as they serve out their terms. With credit for time already served, all seven dissidents will be released in one month. The Americans will have 10 days to leave the country since they have been held in a Ho Chi Minh City jail since September 2005. Three of the Vietnamese will be under house arrest for three year following their terms.
The three U.S. citizens, Thuong Nguyen Foshee, Huynh Bich Lien and Le Van Binh, and the four Vietnamese nationals, Tran Dat Phuong, Ho Van Giau, Ho Van Hien and Cao Tri were accused of plotting to take over radio airwaves to call for an uprising to overthrow the Vietnamese government.
At the trial, some of the defendants acknowledged carrying radio equipment to Cambodia on behalf of the Government of Free Vietnam, a California-based organization that the Vietnamese government considers a terrorist group, while others described themselves as employees at an adoption agency.
According to the indictment read at the trial, the seven carried out the plan under the direction of Government of Free Vietnam. In early 2005, they plotted to use radio equipment to interfere/jam the National Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and other local radios, calling for an uprising against the government.
They rented a house to open a charity office in Cambodia to carry out the plan.
Under Vietnamese law, the terrorism charges carry sentences ranging from 12 years in prison to death by firing squad. So the terms of 15 months in prison announced by the judge is considered too light by local newspapers. There have been rumors that the Vietnamese government does not want to make a big thing out of the case before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hanoi next week.
However, in a press conference after the trial, Judge Vu Phi Long rejected the possibility of outside pressure over the decision.
"I know that Vietnam is about to host the APEC summit, and I know that the U.S. Congress is about to debate giving PNTR [permanent normal trade relations] to Vietnam. But when we judge, we follow Vietnamese law and we judge independently," he claimed.
According to local newspapers, prosecutors brought lesser terms against the defendants because they had repented and had no previous criminal records.
The trial has been watched closely by the U.S. Washington had urged the Vietnamese authorities to hold a speedy and fair trial.
"What we would ask is that any judicial proceedings proceed in a free and in a fair and transparent manner," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters in an interview last week.
"I don't expect that this is going to affect the secretary's trip to Vietnam or the president's trip," he added.
However, the case would likely have been raised at the APEC meeting next week if it had not concluded Friday. Senator Mel Martinez, who reportedly vowed to block a key vote in Congress that would grant PNTR for Vietnam, recently raised the issue with the Bush administration.
The U.S. seems to be pleased with the ruling. Reacting to the court's decision, U.S. ambassador to Hanoi Michael Marine said, "I am certainly pleased that they will be sent home. These individuals have been held for quite some time. That is allowed under Vietnamese law, but 14 months without being brought to trial is a long time for anyone. So, we're glad to see that portion over with."
U.S. State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said, "We are in contact with the government of Vietnam to arrange their return as soon as possible."
According to Cooper, the Vietnamese government wants the U.S. to take actions against the Government of Free Vietnam, which is considered as terrorist group.
The Government of Free Vietnam group is established and run by Nguyen Huu Chanh, who was tried in absentia in Vietnam for plotting to bomb the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and buildings in Vietnam.
At the request of Vietnam, Chanh was arrested by police in South Korea in April. After three months in custody, Chanh was set free.
The Seoul High Court refused on July 27 to extradite Chanh to Vietnam as requested. The ruling sparked strong criticism from Vietnam.
Regarding the case, the Vietnamese Supreme People's Procuracy recently sent a note to the Korean minister of justice), requesting him to explain why the Seoul Appellate Court refused to extradite Chanh to Vietnam.
Washington satisfied with light sentences
On Friday, Vietnam brought to trial seven dissidents, including three Vietnamese-American citizens, accused of terrorism. In a one-day trial, all seven were sentenced to 15 months in prison by a Vietnamese court.
Three U.S. citizens will be deported as soon as they serve out their terms. With credit for time already served, all seven dissidents will be released in one month. The Americans will have 10 days to leave the country since they have been held in a Ho Chi Minh City jail since September 2005. Three of the Vietnamese will be under house arrest for three year following their terms.
The three U.S. citizens, Thuong Nguyen Foshee, Huynh Bich Lien and Le Van Binh, and the four Vietnamese nationals, Tran Dat Phuong, Ho Van Giau, Ho Van Hien and Cao Tri were accused of plotting to take over radio airwaves to call for an uprising to overthrow the Vietnamese government.
At the trial, some of the defendants acknowledged carrying radio equipment to Cambodia on behalf of the Government of Free Vietnam, a California-based organization that the Vietnamese government considers a terrorist group, while others described themselves as employees at an adoption agency.
According to the indictment read at the trial, the seven carried out the plan under the direction of Government of Free Vietnam. In early 2005, they plotted to use radio equipment to interfere/jam the National Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and other local radios, calling for an uprising against the government.
They rented a house to open a charity office in Cambodia to carry out the plan.
Under Vietnamese law, the terrorism charges carry sentences ranging from 12 years in prison to death by firing squad. So the terms of 15 months in prison announced by the judge is considered too light by local newspapers. There have been rumors that the Vietnamese government does not want to make a big thing out of the case before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hanoi next week.
However, in a press conference after the trial, Judge Vu Phi Long rejected the possibility of outside pressure over the decision.
"I know that Vietnam is about to host the APEC summit, and I know that the U.S. Congress is about to debate giving PNTR [permanent normal trade relations] to Vietnam. But when we judge, we follow Vietnamese law and we judge independently," he claimed.
According to local newspapers, prosecutors brought lesser terms against the defendants because they had repented and had no previous criminal records.
The trial has been watched closely by the U.S. Washington had urged the Vietnamese authorities to hold a speedy and fair trial.
"What we would ask is that any judicial proceedings proceed in a free and in a fair and transparent manner," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters in an interview last week.
"I don't expect that this is going to affect the secretary's trip to Vietnam or the president's trip," he added.
However, the case would likely have been raised at the APEC meeting next week if it had not concluded Friday. Senator Mel Martinez, who reportedly vowed to block a key vote in Congress that would grant PNTR for Vietnam, recently raised the issue with the Bush administration.
The U.S. seems to be pleased with the ruling. Reacting to the court's decision, U.S. ambassador to Hanoi Michael Marine said, "I am certainly pleased that they will be sent home. These individuals have been held for quite some time. That is allowed under Vietnamese law, but 14 months without being brought to trial is a long time for anyone. So, we're glad to see that portion over with."
U.S. State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said, "We are in contact with the government of Vietnam to arrange their return as soon as possible."
According to Cooper, the Vietnamese government wants the U.S. to take actions against the Government of Free Vietnam, which is considered as terrorist group.
The Government of Free Vietnam group is established and run by Nguyen Huu Chanh, who was tried in absentia in Vietnam for plotting to bomb the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and buildings in Vietnam.
At the request of Vietnam, Chanh was arrested by police in South Korea in April. After three months in custody, Chanh was set free.
The Seoul High Court refused on July 27 to extradite Chanh to Vietnam as requested. The ruling sparked strong criticism from Vietnam.
Regarding the case, the Vietnamese Supreme People's Procuracy recently sent a note to the Korean minister of justice), requesting him to explain why the Seoul Appellate Court refused to extradite Chanh to Vietnam.
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