Tycoon gets three years for 'abusing democratic freedoms'

The HCMC People's Court's conviction statement said that Hang, the general director of the Dai Nam Joint Stock Company, had been the main planner of dozens of livestream sessions in which her speeches slandered others, thereby "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens."

Business mogul Nguyen Phuong Hang at her trial on September 21, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Her accomplice Dang Anh Quan was given a sentence of 2 years and 6 months in prison, while accomplices Nguyen Thi Mai Nhi, Huynh Cong Tan, and Le Thi Thu Ha were all sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

Along with jail terms, the defendants were ordered to pay VND18 million ($742) to each relevant party, Dang Thi Han Ni and Dinh Thi Lan, as compensation.

Prior to Hang's conviction, singer Dam Vinh Hung, singer Vy Oanh, singer Thuy Tien and her former footballer husband Le Cong Vinh had dismissed their requests for compensation in the case.

According to the trial panel, Hang and her accomplices held a total of 57 livestream sessions over the period between March 2021 and March 2022 at her private homes on HCMC’s Nguyen Thong street and the southern province Binh Duong’s Dai Nam Complex.

In these livestreams, Hang made speeches that allegedly harmed the reputation of 10 individuals, including singer Thuy Tien and her husband Cong Vinh, singers Vy Oanh, Dam Vinh Hung, actor Hoai Linh, and reporters Dang Thi Han Ni and Duc Hien. Many videos questioned the integrity of their charity works.

The businesswoman had invited Quan to participate as a legal consultant in 11 of her livestreams, aiming to increase her speeches' legitimacy.

The court has ruled that these acts violated the Cybersecurity Law and had "negative effects on public and social security."

"The defendants were aware of their behavior and intentionally held their livestreams, in which they made offensive speeches and false claims that harmed many individuals' reputation," the judge announced in the conviction.

"Because of that, they should be seriously punished to educate and set examples for others."

The trial panel also responded to Quan's claim that he was not guilty.

"Based on the collected evidence, the trial panel identified that the defendant [Quan] violated the Cybersecurity Law and abused democratic freedoms to offend others."

Regarding lawyers' claims that the defendants also violated other laws, the court said the defendants' acts indeed made up numerous crimes, including "slander," "humiliation," and "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens," of which the last is the most serious in the litany of crimes. Therefore, the defendants were sentenced based on the punishment regulated for that violation.

Following the announcement of the court's final conviction, the defendants were given a few minutes to talk.

Hang said she had always dreamed of contributing to society. She claimed that on top of her many charitable activities, she had also spent VND300 billion and mortgaged her real estate properties to take loans from the banks to buy oxygen resources for Covid-19 patients.

"I regret not controlling my behavior," she told the court. "I hope the trial panel allows me to return to society soon, so that I can keep participating in charitable projects, build my company, and help people in poverty."

Meanwhile, Quan said standing in court was an "experience with many contrasting emotions."

He preserved his claim that he was not guilty.

"I did not have any intentions to offend anyone [by joining Hang's livestreams]," he said.

"I knew Hang was a kind woman, so I accompanied her so that I could minimize her violations. Whoever watched the videos would understand that I am not guilty, I believe."

The other defendants said they regretted their behavior, apologized to relevant parties for unintentionally offending them, and asked the court to give them suspended sentences instead of jail terms.