Lawyer Le Cong Dinh at the time of arrest.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Public Security said on June 18 that HCM City lawyer Le Cong Dinh ‘has admitted his illegal activities and asked for clemency.’

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security on June 18 organised press conferences in both Hanoi and HCM City to brief the details of a confession by Le Cong Dinh, who was arrested on June 13. 

Underscoring the importance the Government attaches to this case, the press conferences were chaired by vice chiefs of the General Department of Security, Lieutenant General Vu Hai Trieu and Major General Hoang Kong Tu.

The Ministry also released a nearly three minute video clip of Dinh reading his confession on, it said, June 16.

In addition, the Public Security Ministry announced that charges have been brought against Le Thanh Long and Huynh Duy Thuc, said to be collaborators with Dinh in anti-government activities, and that two others have been detained for investigation.

Asking for tolerance

LTG Trieu told the press in Hanoi that after being arrested, Dinh confessed, among other things:

- that on March 1-3, 2009, he attended a training course in Pattaya, Thailand, convened by the Viet Tan organization, at which two Serbians made presentations.  (According to the security agency, this course instructed trainees on how to organize strikes and riots aimed at overthrowing the regime, as has been the case recently in some Eastern Europe countries.)

- that he was aware that the Viet Tan organization is a terrorist group but he nonetheless joined it.

- that he also participated in a group called “Vietnam Democratic Party” in collaboration with Vietnamese-American Nguyen Sy Binh and others, which has planned actions against the Vietnamese government. Dinh was appointed as a member of this organisation’s standing committee.

- that he went again to Thailand on March 26 to meet with some Viet Tan leaders to discuss Vietnam’s political and social situation and a plan to set up a ‘Vietnam Labor Party’ and a ‘Vietnam Social Party.’ It was agreed to open two blogs named “Vietnam Labor Party” (run by Dinh) and “Vietnam Social Party,” (run by Tran Huynh Duy Thuc). After that, Dinh set up an organization named “Vietnam Labor Party,” chaired by himself. He also wrote the announcement of establishment to post on this group’s blog.

- that he had taken part in editing the charter of the so-called “Vietnam Democratic Party”.

The Ministry said that to further a plot to change the regime in Vietnam, Dinh used different pen-names to write over 20 articles for magazines against the Vietnam state, like “Vietnam Democratic Party” and “Gathering Democratic Youth”.

The text of the confession provided by the investigating agency quotes Dinh as writing “I see my above activities violated Vietnam’s laws. I regret my wrong actions. I wish the State to consider clemency for me”.

Le Cong Dinh was born on October 1, 1968 and is a resident of HCM City. He has been considered a talented lawyer. Dinh was trained in Vietnam and at Tulane University in the US.  He is fluent in English and French.

Five people arrested

A page of the manuscript confession signed by Le Cong Dinh.

The Public Security agency announced that police have arrested four people in addition to Dinh - Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Le Thang Long, Le Thi Thu Thu and Tran Thi Thu.

Thuc and Long have been formally accused of plotting with Dinh to overthrow the regime. Le Thi Thu Thu and Tran Thi Thu are still under investigation.

Thuc was arrested on May 24.  According to police, Thuc and Dinh went to Phuket in March 2009 to meet with Nguyen Sy Binh, alias ‘Chi Hai,’ a Vietnamese American who is said to be the leader of the “People’s Action Party” in the US and the Vietnam Democratic Party, both deemed hostile to the Vietnamese state.

Thuc (alias Chi Ba), Dinh (alias Chi Tu) and Sy exchanged information via a “dead mailbox” established by Dinh.

In Phuket, Thuc reportedly agreed to establish a “Vietnam Social Party,” which was to combine with Dinh’s “Vietnam Labour Party” to replace the Communist Party of Vietnam after political upheavals planned to happen in 2010. Thuc admitted to authoring many blog articles against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Le Thanh Long, arrested on June 4, 2009, has reportedly acknowledged a friendship with Thuc dating from their student days at the HCM City University of Technology (1985-1990). Thuc reportedly assigned Long to make a plan to gather forces under the name of a club named “Make Vietnam Better,” chaired by Long.

Long reportedly established close relationships with some people in Australia, including Buddhist monk Thich Minh Tam, to build the so-called “Movement to make Vietnam Better”.

Thuc and Long are also said to have admitted to violation of Vietnamese laws and to have asked for clemency.

MG Tu of the General Security Department said Thuc and Long are charged with propagandizing against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in contravention of Article 88 of the Penal Code. Tu said Le Cong Dinh will be charged on June 19.

Foreign Ministry: Vietnam guarantees freedom of belief

Lawyer Le Cong Dinh reading his confession.

Foreign ministry spokesman Le Dung on June 17 emphasized that Lawyer Le Cong Dinh has violated the Vietnamese constitution by conspiring with a number of people in foreign countries to act against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. His case is being handled according to Vietnamese law. 

The fundamental policy of Vietnam, Dung continued, is to guarantee freedom of belief and opinion. It encourages citizens to exchange opinions and participate actively in every area of national life.

Dung was replying to a question about a statement issued by the US Department of State.

VietNamNet/DT/VNE