The People’s Court of Nhon Trach district in the southern province of Dong Nai on December 5 sentenced nine men to one year in prison for causing social disturbance at the local industrial zone.

36-year-old Tran Huu Tho is the oldest offender while the rest are aged from 18 – 22. They were all declared to “disturb public order”, the charge stated in Article 245 of the Penal Code.

According to the indictment, on May 13, taking advantage of a rally protesting China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, those men burst in private properties and wrecked assets of enterprises located in Nhon Trach industrial park.

Tho was reported to have attacked police officers attempting to free those who were held for committing aggressive actions.

At the trial, all defendants admitted their crimes and showed remorse.

Dong Nai authorities had taken legal proceedings against over 250 people involved in 26 criminal cases of “causing social disturbance”, “destroying property”, “stealing property”, “openly appropriating property” and “resisting against on-duty officials”.

These people all took advantage of the rallies protesting China’s violations of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

VNA/VNN