Translation:
Ho Chi Minh City Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hang did not appeal her 3-year prison sentence for organizing with her accomplices 57 livestreams that offended many people.
On October 9, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court said it had not received an appeal from Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hang (52 years old, General Director of Dai Nam Joint Stock Company) against the verdict on the charge of abusing democratic freedoms to invade violate the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals even if the term has expired.
According to Ms. Hang's son, her family encouraged her to appeal, but she accepted the sentence and asked for early execution.
Previously, Ms. Hang's four accomplices were Dang Anh Quan (43 years old, former lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Law) and Nguyen Thi Mai Nhi, Huynh Cong Tan, Le Thi Thu Ha (employees of Dai Nam Joint Stock Company). Dang Anh Quan has appealed to reduce the penalty. Mr. Quan believes that the sentence of 2 years and 6 months in prison imposed on him by the court is too harsh (at the first instance, the defendant said he did not commit a crime); The other defendants asked for a suspended sentence (the first instance sentence was 1 year and 6 months in prison).
The first instance judgment determined that, from March 2021 to March 2022, Ms. Phuong Hang and the four defendants took advantage of democratic freedoms and conducted 57 livestreams at her private home on Nguyen Thong Street (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) and Dai Nam Tourist Area (Binh Duong) with content that seriously insults the honor and reputation of 10 people: singers Vy Oanh, Dam Vinh Hung, artist Hoai Linh, singer Thuy Tien and her husband, Journalist Han Ni, and journalist Duc Hien.
Ms. Hang invited defendant Dang Anh Quan to participate in 11 livestream sessions as a legal advisor to increase the credibility of her statements.
According to the court, the defendants' actions violate the Cyber Security Law and Decree 72/2013/ND-CP; causing negative impacts on social order and safety. In particular, defendant Hang played the role of mastermind and initiator; Nhi, Tan, and Ha were accomplices who helped.
The defendants must jointly compensate journalist Han Ni and Ms. Dinh Thi Lan 18 million VND. Because singers Dam Vinh Hung, Vy Oanh, Thuy Tien and her husband changed their request, Ms. Hang was not forced to pay compensation, the court did not consider it.
Regarding the fact that many people have related rights and obligations and lawyers believe that the defendants also committed other crimes, the court said that the defendants' actions satisfied the signs of many crimes such as: Abusing rights Democratic freedom violates the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals; Slander; Humiliate others. In particular, the crime of abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals has the heaviest penalty, so according to the principle of attracting crimes, the defendants are prosecuted for this crime.