By Vu Quoc Ngu | May 13, 2015
Vietnam’s police have decided to prosecute Mr. Kinh Quoc Hoa, former editor-in-chief of outspoken Nguoi Cao Tuoi (The Elderly) newspaper which ran a number of articles unveiling alleged corruption of many senior officials, state media reported.
According to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Hoa, 70, is prosecuted and charged under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code for “abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.”
The police searched Mr. Hoa’s private house and office but he is allowed to stay in his house while the investigation is underway. If proven guilty, he may face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the Vietnamese law.
Mr. Hoa, who was once nominated for the national prize for excellent job, was fired from his post on Feb. 9 by the Ministry of Information and Communications, which also shut down the newspaper’s website for “carrying complaints and petitions, along with baseless analysis, which led to fabricated information” in violation of Vietnam’s journalism law.
The Nguoi Cao Tuoi newspaper had been one of outspoken outlets in Vietnam thanks to its numerous articles on alleged corruption, including those related to the unbelievable wealth made by bribery of Tran Van Truyen, a former head of the government Inspectorate.
The newspaper had uncovered or shed light on around 2,500 corruption cases at state agencies in Vietnam, from village to central levels over the past seven years, Mr. Hoa said in his interview to foreign media in late 2014.
Corruption is a systemic issue in the one-party Vietnam. The communist government has vowed to make all efforts to deal with it.
Both the ruling communist party and its government have publicly encouraged individuals to actively take part in the fight against corruption, according to international financial institutions.
Even the government promises to give large rewards for those who help state agencies unveil corruption cases.
Meanwhile, international independent agencies have listed Vietnam one of countries with worst press freedom. Laos, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Vietnam, China, Syria, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea are the worst countries in these criteria, according to Germany’s Bilde.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that independent news providers in Vietnam are subject to enhanced Internet surveillance, draconian directives, waves of arrests and sham trials in its annual Press Freedom Index released in December last year.
Vietnam is currently the world’s largest jailer of bloggers and social media dissidents, the RSF said, adding 34 bloggers are currently in detention of some kind.
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May 13, 2015
Vietnam Former Newspaper Editor Prosecuted for Official Graft Reports
by Nhan Quyen • Kim Quoc Hoa
According to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Hoa, 70, is prosecuted and charged under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code for “abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.”
The police searched Mr. Hoa’s private house and office but he is allowed to stay in his house while the investigation is underway. If proven guilty, he may face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the Vietnamese law.
By Vu Quoc Ngu | May 13, 2015
Vietnam’s police have decided to prosecute Mr. Kinh Quoc Hoa, former editor-in-chief of outspoken Nguoi Cao Tuoi (The Elderly) newspaper which ran a number of articles unveiling alleged corruption of many senior officials, state media reported.
According to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Hoa, 70, is prosecuted and charged under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code for “abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.”
The police searched Mr. Hoa’s private house and office but he is allowed to stay in his house while the investigation is underway. If proven guilty, he may face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the Vietnamese law.
Mr. Hoa, who was once nominated for the national prize for excellent job, was fired from his post on Feb. 9 by the Ministry of Information and Communications, which also shut down the newspaper’s website for “carrying complaints and petitions, along with baseless analysis, which led to fabricated information” in violation of Vietnam’s journalism law.
The Nguoi Cao Tuoi newspaper had been one of outspoken outlets in Vietnam thanks to its numerous articles on alleged corruption, including those related to the unbelievable wealth made by bribery of Tran Van Truyen, a former head of the government Inspectorate.
The newspaper had uncovered or shed light on around 2,500 corruption cases at state agencies in Vietnam, from village to central levels over the past seven years, Mr. Hoa said in his interview to foreign media in late 2014.
Corruption is a systemic issue in the one-party Vietnam. The communist government has vowed to make all efforts to deal with it.
Both the ruling communist party and its government have publicly encouraged individuals to actively take part in the fight against corruption, according to international financial institutions.
Even the government promises to give large rewards for those who help state agencies unveil corruption cases.
Meanwhile, international independent agencies have listed Vietnam one of countries with worst press freedom. Laos, Somalia, Iran, Sudan, Vietnam, China, Syria, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea are the worst countries in these criteria, according to Germany’s Bilde.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that independent news providers in Vietnam are subject to enhanced Internet surveillance, draconian directives, waves of arrests and sham trials in its annual Press Freedom Index released in December last year.
Vietnam is currently the world’s largest jailer of bloggers and social media dissidents, the RSF said, adding 34 bloggers are currently in detention of some kind.