More than 60 individuals in Vietnam have received lengthy prison sentences for their affiliation with the self-proclaimed “Provisional National Government of Vietnam,” which was designated as a terrorist organization by the Ministry of Public Security in 2018.
Established in 1991 by former soldiers and refugees loyal to the pre-unification South Vietnamese government, the group is based in the United States.
However, defense attorneys representing the accused have suggested that followers of the “Provisional National Government” were misled by unfulfilled promises or deceived by Vietnamese security agents posing as members of the organization.
Most of those convicted were charged with attempting to overthrow the government.
Several high-profile cases include 16 individuals convicted for planting explosives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in 2017, 12 people sentenced in 2018 for various offenses, and another 12 individuals convicted in 2022 for organizing a referendum to elect a president for the Third Republic of Vietnam.
Lawyer Nguyen Van Mieng defended Tran Thi Ngoc Xuan, who was accused of involvement in activities aimed at overthrowing the government, leading the referendum, and producing and distributing documents related to the organization.
According to Mieng, Xuan supported the cause as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the communist regime and seeking change.
Another lawyer, Dang Dinh Manh, revealed that individuals were lured by promises of power and rewards, such as secure jobs and high salaries, by Dao Minh Quan and his supporters.
Manh stated that individuals from rural areas with limited political awareness were targeted by Vietnamese authorities through online monitoring and security traps.
He explained that individuals who engaged with Dao Minh Quan’s online channels were approached by security officers posing as organization members and subsequently arrested.
These arrests were made based on perceived affiliation with the “Provisional National Government” without any direct involvement with the organization.
Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.
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