Jail sentences for 2 anti-China protesters

A court in Ben Cat town sentenced Le Van Nghiem, a 23-year-old resident of Ca Mau Province who was working for the Chan Kiet Joint Stock Company in Ben Cat, to three years in prison for “causing disorder in public” and “intentionally destroying assets”.

On May 13, as Nghiem was returning to his boarding house after visiting a friend, he joined many people gathered at the entrance of Chan Kiet to demonstrate against China’s deployment of an oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, according to the court.

Nghiem used “dirty words” to insult the law enforcement force on duty at the site and used an electric torch to damage a private car owned by Nguyen Van Tong, head of the An Tay police force. Repair costs for the car totalled VND4.1 million (Bt6,300), according to the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Also yesterday morning, a court in Tan Uyen town sentenced Chau Minh Tuong, an 18-year-old resident of Tan Uyen, to 12 months imprisonment for robbery.

According to the court, when many people gathered at the Minh Vien company in Tan Hiep Ward on May 13 to protest against the oil rig, Hiep broke into the office and stole a computer monitor in addition to other equipment worth more than VND5.1 million.

Tuong said he stole the computer for “playing games” at home. 

Law enforcement agencies in the southern province of Dong Nai have started legal proceedings against 41 people for their role in recent disturbances in the locality, according to the provincial People’s Procuracy. 

They will be charged with causing public disorder and appropriating assets during demonstrations by workers and local people to protest against China’s “illegal” action. 

As many as 416 suspects have been detained. 

By yesterday, 98 per cent of the enterprises affected by disturbances in the locality had resumed production and business activities. The remainder plan to restart operations by today.