The appellate trial for two former directors of the Vietnam Register and 140 co-defendants began on January 6 at the Ho Chi Minh City High People’s Court.

The appeal was initiated following requests for reduced sentences by 139 defendants and a counter-appeal by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy, which argued for harsher penalties for 18 defendants.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy contended that the initial sentences handed down by the first-instance court were too lenient, failing to reflect the severity of the offenses or ensure fairness compared to others with similar crimes.

Key defendants and charges

Two former heads of the Vietnam Register faced severe charges:

Tran Ky Hinh, sentenced to 25 years in prison (19 years for accepting bribes and 6 years for abusing power).

Dang Viet Ha, sentenced to 19 years for accepting bribes.

The defendants involved in the appeal include individuals charged with various crimes:

Forgery in official duties: Huynh Thai Bao, Tran Van Canh, Son Minh Khuong, Dang Phong Em.

Accepting bribes: Dang Tran Khanh, Mai Duc Truyen, Tran Anh Tu, Nguyen Duc Nam.

Forging documents: Vo Tan Dat, Pham Ngoc Hoan, Dau Duc Vu, Huynh Van Thoa, Duong Nghia, Nguyen Thai Hoa, Nguyen Van Thai.

Bribery: Trinh Binh Duong, Vu Hong Quang.

Combining forgery and bribery: Nguyen Minh Tri.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy, this is a large-scale corruption case involving public officials and serious economic violations. It caused substantial damage in the management of motor vehicle and inland watercraft registration.

The trial is being conducted via online proceedings at two locations: the High People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City and Chi Hoa Detention Center (T30). The hearing, presided over by Judge Hoang Thanh Dung, is scheduled to run from January 6 to 17, 2025.

A team of lawyers has been assembled to represent the defendants during this complex trial, with multiple charges ranging from forgery to bribery. The outcome will have significant implications for corruption cases in Vietnam’s public administration sector.