Court upholds sentence for anti-State lawyer

Defendant Tran Dinh Trien at the court. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – The High-level People's Court in Hanoi on May 30 rejected the appeal filed by defendant Tran Dinh Trien (born 1959), a lawyer and head of the Vi Dan Law Office under the Hanoi Bar Association, upholding the original sentence of three-year imprisonment for Trien for the charge of “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate interests of the State, rights and legitimate interests of organisations and inpiduals".

During the appellate trial, the court confirmed that the defendant’s actions posed a danger to society, infringing on the lawful rights and interests of organisations and inpiduals.

Trien was found to be fully responsible for his actions as he was aware that his conduct was unlawful yet deliberately carried out the offence, which negatively affected public security, social order, and the reputation of state agencies.

The court noted that the first-instance trial had thoroughly considered mitigating and aggravating circumstances. The three-year prison sentence handed down was deemed appropriate and justified. Although the appeal court acknowledged some additional mitigating factors presented at the hearing, these were deemed insufficient to reduce the criminal liability of the defendant.

According to the indictment issued by the Supreme People's Procuracy, on February 3, 2023, Trien created a Facebook account named “Tran Dinh Trien”, which was solely managed and used by him without sharing the administrator right with anyone else.

While working as a lawyer, the defendant developed personal grievances related to the court sector and the leadership of the Supreme People's Court. From April 23 to May 9, 2024, he drafted and posted three articles on his Facebook page.

The inspection conclusion confirmed that the posted information adversely impacted the reputation and dignity of the People's Court system and leaders of the Supreme People's Court, and also infringed upon their rights and legitimate interests, causing negative impact on security, public order and social safety.

Earlier at the first-instance trial held on January 9-10, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced Trien to three years in prison for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate interests of the State, rights and legitimate interests of organisations and inpiduals” under Article 331, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code.