Woman Sentenced to 1 Year, 9 Months for Defamatory Videos

The People's Court of District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, has upheld a 1 year and 9 month prison sentence for Dinh Thi Lan, who was found guilty of "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, and the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals." The case centers on six videos Lan allegedly posted on her YouTube channel, "Lan Dinh," which the court deemed to contain false information and to have severely damaged the reputation and honor of businesswoman Nguyen Phuong Hang and her husband, Huynh Uy Dung.

During the initial trial, Lan was convicted of violating the Cybersecurity Law and relevant government decrees concerning internet usage and information dissemination. The court determined that she knowingly spread untrue or unverified information, including details that intruded upon the personal and private lives of Hang and Dung. This behavior was found to have negatively impacted social order and safety.

At the appellate hearing, Lan maintained her innocence, admitting to recording the videos but denying their upload to YouTube, stating her phone was lost on June 28, 2021, after which the videos were allegedly posted. She requested a postponement to hire legal counsel, but the court denied this. The appellate panel found no compelling evidence to overturn the initial verdict and upheld the sentence, concluding that the lower court had correctly identified both the perpetrator and the offense.