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The defendants are Nguyen James Han, Phan Angel, Truong Nguyen Minh Tri, Do Tai Nhan, Nguyen Hung Anh, Tran Tuan Tai, Vo Hoang Ngoc, Do Quoc Bao, Tran Van Vinh, Tran Quang Vinh, Nguyen Van Chanh, and Do Thi Thuy Dung. They are members of the self-proclaimed “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi” (Provisional National Government of Vietnam).
Accordingly, Nguyen James Han (a Vietnamese expatriate in the US, born in 1967) and Phan Angel (a US citizen born in 1956) each got 14 years in prison. They will also be deported from Vietnam upon the completion of their jail terms.
Meanwhile, Truong Nguyen Minh Tri was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Do Tai Nhan, Nguyen Hung Anh, and Tran Tuan Tai will each serve 10 years behind bars.
The court also gave jail sentences of nine years to Vo Hoang Ngoc and Do Quoc Bao, eight years to Tran Van Vinh, seven years to Tran Quang Vinh, and five years to Nguyen Van Chanh and Do Thi Thuy Dung.
They will be kept under surveillance for two to four years after completing their prison terms.
The reactionary “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi” (Provisional National Government of Vietnam) was set up in the US in 1990 by Dao Minh Quan (a US national born in 1952). The organisation had made use of the Internet to carry out several propaganda plans aimed at developing their forces in Vietnam, as well as distorting the policies of the Vietnamese Party and State. It also sent people from other countries to Vietnam in order to directly sabotage activities.
According to the indictment, Nguyen James Han and Phan Angel were sent to Vietnam by Quan to develop their force and direct other members in the country to conduct anti-State activities.
In March 2017, Dao Minh Quan directly assigned Nguyen James Han to return to Vietnam to conduct sabotage activities during the celebrations of the Vietnam’s National Reunification Day on April 30, 2017.
On March 28, 2017, Nguyen James Han entered Vietnam and contacted Phan Angel to discuss implementation plans and disseminate Dao Minh Quan’s directions to other members in the country, namely Nguyen Quang Thanh, Ta Tan Loc, Tran Tuan Tai, and Nguyen Hung Anh.
Nguyen James Han and Phan Angel delegated tasks to each person, such as distributing leaflets, hacking into radio stations to broadcast information about their organisation, and protesting against Taiwanese steel maker Formosa.
However, many of these activities were uncovered and prevented by authorised agencies.
These activities aside, the reactionary organisation also carried out many armed terrorist plots in Vietnam, including setting fire to a traffic police warehouse storing motorcycles in Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province. Its members also planted petrol bombs in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport in April 2017.
Meanwhile, some members of the “Viet Nguyen Dynasty” organisation, separated from the “Provisional National Government of Vietnam”, bombed the police station of Ward 12 in Tan Binh district, HCM City, injuring three people.
The indictment said the defendants’ acts were extremely serious, infringing national security, harming national development and stability, affecting political security; social order, and safety, and going against the country’s interests.
Their acts constitute the offence of “conducting activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Clause 1, Article 79 of the 1999 Penal Code.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security announced that the “Provisional National Government of Vietnam” is defined as a terrorist organisation in accordance with Vietnamese and international law.
Therefore, anyone, who has participated in its propaganda and inciting others to join, sponsor, and receive sponsorship from the organisation; taken part in the organisation’s training courses, or followed the instructions of the organisation has committed acts of “terrorism” and “terrorist sponsor”, and will be treated pursuant to Vietnamese law.
