Blogger Nguyen Lan Thang worries that the Hanoi People’s Court bringing his case to trial in secret in the upcoming first-instance hearing will not be able to guarantee his right to defend in court.
On April 12, Mr. Thang will have to go to court for the charge of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code due to peaceful criticism activities on social networks.
Lawyer Le Dinh Viet, who defended Mr. Thang on April 7 had a working session with his client at Temporary Detention Center No. 1 managed by the Hanoi Police Department.
The lawyer quoted Mr. Thang as saying that, although there was his application to the People’s Court of Hanoi from March 15 to request access to the case file, allowing the detention facility to provide pen and paper to prepare for the defense and “confrontation” with the expert of the Department of Information and Communications of Hanoi City before or at the trial, but so far these requests have not been resolved.
He believes that his requests are completely legitimate and in accordance with the law, if these requests are not promptly met by the Hanoi People’s Court, it will seriously affect his right to defend.
According to the lawyer, his client did not agree that the Hanoi People’s Court took him to a “closed trial,” saying that his case had nothing to do with state secrets, so it was unnecessary closed trial.
Article 25 of the 2015 Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that the court conducts a public trial, and everyone has the right to attend the court hearing, except for the cases prescribed by this code.
In special cases where it is necessary to keep state secrets, the fine customs and traditions of the nation, to protect persons under 18 years of age, or to keep private life secret at the legitimate request of the involved parties, the court may conduct a closed trial but must be publicly sentenced.
“By holding a closed trial, I am afraid that the trial will not be conducted normally, and my activities and even my rights, including the right to defend, will not be guaranteed according to the law.
That is why, yesterday I submitted a petition through the Superintendent of the detention center to the Hanoi People’s Court to request the case be tried publicly.
If the case is heard publicly, I will have the opportunity to express my views and argue about what the Procuracy uses as a basis for accusing me. Only then will I have a real chance to prove that I am not guilty of the crime as alleged by the Procuratorate’s indictment,” Thang was quoted by the lawyer in his personal Facebook post.
Mr. Nguyen Lan Thang, 48, has had several articles on freedom, democracy and human rights on the RFA blog since late 2013.
Mr. Thang joined the protest movement against China infringing on Vietnam’s territorial waters since 2011 and is a photographer who has contributed many images and videos about protests for sovereignty over sea and islands and the fight against injustice in Vietnam.
Facebook Nguyen Lan Thang (Nguyen Lan Ke) is said to be his currently has nearly 160,000 followers, although he is being detained this account still works normally with many posts and shares.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
