Vietnamese-Australian Châu Văn Khảm (left) was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of “terrorist activities against the People’s government” at the first-instance trial on Monday at the HCM City People’s Court. — VNA/VNS Photo Thành Chung

HCM CITY — Vietnamese-Australian Châu Văn Khảm, 70, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of “terrorist activities against the People’s government” at the first-instance trial on Monday (November 11) at the HCM City People’s Court.

Two other Vietnamese defendants, Nguyễn Văn Viễn, 48, and Trần Văn Quyền, 20, were sentenced to 11 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, on the same charges. 

The charges were in accordance with Article 113, Clause 2 of the 2015 Criminal Code relating to joining a “terrorist” organisation and forcing others to participate in terrorism, or recruiting, training or supplying terrorists with weapons. 

In addition, defendant Bùi Văn Kiên, 36, was sentenced to four years in prison and Nguyễn Thị Ánh, 27, and Trần Thị Nhài, 35, to three years in prison each on charges of “forged documents of agencies and organisations” for counterfeiting identity cards and job applications for the defendants.

On July 29, investigation agencies issued a decision to prosecute Khảm and accomplices on the charges against the People’s administration, according to the authorities. 

Authorities said that Khảm allegedly entered Việt Nam on false documents through the land border with Cambodia.

Khảm is an active member of the Việt Tân group, which the Vietnamese Government considers a terrorist organisation.

The Việt Nam Reform Revolutionary Party refers to as Việt Tân, a Vietnamese exile reactionary organisation led by Hoàng Cơ Minh, former general and deputy admiral of the former Saigon administration.

Founded in 1982 in Thailand, the organisation is now chaired by Đỗ Hoàng Điềm, 56, who is an American citizen. It aims to conduct hostile activities against Việt Nam with the ambition of overthrowing the people’s administration in Việt Nam, according to the Vietnamese Government.  

On October 4, 2016, the Ministry of Public Security included Việt Tân on its list of terrorist organisations in Việt Nam. — VNS