On July 29, 2020, the Hanoi Court held the appeal hearing of Ms. Dang Thi Hue (commonly known as Hue Nhu), the female driver was also praised by some as an activist against “dirty” BOTs, with the charge of “causing public order.”
At the first trial in June, Hue Nhu was sentenced to 18 months in prison. After the first-instance hearing, Ms. Hue Nhu appealed to confirm her innocence.
Hue Nhu was defended with five lawyers named Dang Dinh Manh, Ha Huy Son, Le Van Luan, Pham Le Quyen, and Le Dinh Viet. Defense for Mr. Bui Manh Tien was lawyer Le Dinh Viet.
Hue Nhu, was arrested by the Soc Son district police in Hanoi on the evening of October 16, 2019 on the allegation of “disrupting public order” under Article 318 of the Criminal Code. In the evening of the same day, police searched her home in Thai Binh city.
Previously, she was held at 12 o’clock on Iune 11 and her car was confiscated.
After that incident, Ms. Hue Nhu sued the Minister of Transport for agreeing to let Vietracimex 8 BOT Joint Stock Company set up a station on the long-term-expired road and collect toll for Vinh Yen city bypass.
Ms. Hue also sued for illegal arrest, car holding and the police attack which led to abortion.
Vietnamese media reported that the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ministry of Transport repeatedly proposed to relocate and combine this toll station with another toll station, due to the shortcomings of this BOT. However, from 2016 until now the issue has not been resolved.
In a police scuffle in May 2019, it was reported that Hue Nhu, who was 5 weeks pregnant, had to be admitted to an emergency hospital after being beaten by plainclothed policemen.
Who is Hue Nhu?
Hue Nhu real name is Dang Thi Hue, born in 1981.
The cases of people fighting against BOTs being misplaced or overdue charges have happened for many years. Ms. Hue Nhu is considered to be one of the pioneers who are inspiring the fighting movement against “dirty” BOTs which were backed by senior state officials.
Hue Nhu is an administrative officer of a primary school in Thai Binh and a single mother with two small children. She repeatedly participated in protesting the “dirty” BOT stations with driver Ha Van Nam, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison on charges of “causing public disorder” in June 2019.
Ms. Hue Nhu has repeatedly livestreams about the wrongdoing at BOT North Thang Long on Vo Van Kiet Street in Hanoi, and was interviewed by foreign newspapers about this.
In a Livestream on May 7, 2019, Ms. Hue Nhu continued to call on everyone to join hands to fight against the “dirty” BOTs, claiming their legitimate rights themselves, and affirmed that she “has no political purposes.”
“I demand my rights, no one has triggered me. Whoever sees it is right, please join me. Do not call me a hero. If you find another way, you can do it to claim your right,” said Hue Nhu in the Livestream.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
Vietnamese Source: https://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/vietnam-53576927
