Two detained in Phu Yen for suspected anti-State activities

Pham Ho (L) listens to a policeman reading the detention warrant (Photo: cand.com.vn)

They include Pham Ho, a 71-year-old man in Hoa Vinh ward of Dong Hoa town, who is accused of “attempting to overthrow the people’s administration” under Clause 2 of Article 109 in the 2015 Penal Code.

The other is Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu, a 32-year-old woman in Hoa Tan Tay commune of Tay Hoa district, who faces the charge of “making, storing, distributing and disseminating information, documents and items aimed at sabotaging the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Clause 1 of Article 117 in the 2015 Penal Code.

Initial investigation found that Pham Ho opened a Facebook account to connect with some members of the so-called “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi” (Provisional National Government of Vietnam), a reactionary organisation led by Dao Minh Quan.

Ho wrote poems and articles praising this organisation and posted them on his personal Facebook page. He also called on others to support the organisation.

From late 2019 to March 2020, some members of this organisation sent Ho two mobile phones to keep contact and six copies of the so-called “Constitution of the Third Republic of Vietnam” so that he could read and take part in discussion of the organisation’s forums.

Searching his house, police seized a number of reactionary documents.

As for Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu, from late 2017 to May 2020, she reportedly used different accounts on social networks to post hundreds of articles, images and video clips praising and advocating anti-Party and State activists; offending and smearing leaders; distorting the Party’s guidelines, policies and the State’s laws and the Vietnamese revolution’s history; defaming the people’s administration and inciting activities aimed at overthrowing the administration; and spreading false information about law enforcement agencies./.