bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

A Vietnamese court has ordered the deportation of an American man of Vietnamese descent detained during a protest last month, state media reported on Friday.
William Anh Nguyen, 32, was accused of “causing public disorder” during the mass protests, sparked by concerns the development of economic zones by offering land leases for up to 99 years would be dominated by investors from China.
Nguyen will be released and “deported immediately” after his one-day trial ends on Friday, the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper said.
“The jury acknowledged that the defendant admitted his illegal activities. Considering his sincerity, the court did not hand him a prison sentence,” the state-run paper reported.

Vietnam’s constitution allows freedom of assembly, but protests are often broken up by police.
A public disorder charge carries a prison term of up to seven years, according to Vietnam’s criminal code.
“We are pleased that William Nguyen will be reunited and returning home with his family,” said Francisco Bencosme, Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International USA. “However, we don’t believe he should have been detained and charged in the first place for freely expressing himself and exercising his right to protest.”

U.S. citizen #WillNguyen gets beaten bloody and dragged away by plainclothed men in the presence of the police. He’s being prosecuted for “disorderly conduct”. pic.twitter.com/E7PdgfVMJO
— Saigonese (@VietNamTweeter) June 17, 2018

Nguyen’s trial came two weeks after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised Nguyen’s detention during meetings with Vietnamese officials in Hanoi and asked for a “speedy resolution” to his case.
State media reports said Nguyen was “gathering and causing trouble” during the protests and was filmed urging others to climb over barricades. Video footage of Nguyen shared on social media showed he had blood on his head during the June protest.

The Vietnamese government denied any use of force against Nguyen and allowed US consular officials to visit him in detention.
On Wednesday, 19 US lawmakers wrote to Pompeo asking him to secure Nguyen’s release.
“As elected representatives of Mr Nguyen’s family and the greater Vietnamese-American community, we remain very concerned about the seriousness of the pending charges and the sentence he faces,” said the letter.
Police in the country arrested dozens of people during June’s protests, which spanned several cities and turned violent in the central province of Binh Thuan.
A court in the province has jailed six people for clashing with police during the protests.


Revolution, elections and a baby hippo, this was the year in Asia

Vietnam opens Ho Chi Minh City metro after years of delays

Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line opens after years of delays: ‘finally, we made it!’

How Southeast Asia can become the next AI powerhouse

Vietnam

Vietnam to deport American arrested during anti-government protest

William Nguyen being escorted by police into the court in Ho Chi Minh City on July 20, 2018. Photo: Reuters

American-Vietnamese citizen William Nguyen is escorted by policemen to a courtroom for his trial in Ho Chi Minh City on July 20, 2018. A court in communist Vietnam on July 20 started a closed-door trial against Nguyen for "causing public disorder" at violent protests last month in the country's southern business hub. / AFP PHOTO / -

American-Vietnamese citizen William Nguyen (C-back to camera) is escorted by policemen to a courtroom for his trial in Ho Chi Minh City on July 20, 2018. A court in communist Vietnam on July 20 started a closed-door trial against Nguyen for "causing public disorder" at violent protests last month in the country's southern business hub. / AFP PHOTO / -

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

William Nguyen was to be released then ‘deported immediately’ after his one-day trial ended, according to state media reports


William Nguyen was to be released then ‘deported immediately’ after his one-day trial ended, according to state media reports.
