A screenshot of a video showing Nguyễn Phương Hằng, 53, former director of Đại Nam JSC, livestreaming on her social media account in 2023. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

BÌNH DƯƠNG — Nguyễn Phương Hằng, former director of Đại Nam Joint Stock Company, was released from prison on Thursday (September 19), three months ahead of schedule, after having served over two years in prison.

During her sentence in prison, the facility recommended a three-month reduction of her sentence due to her exemplary behaviour.

From March 2021 to March 2022, Hằng and four associates conducted 57 livestream sessions that egregiously insulted several public figures, thereby violating the Cybersecurity Law and inciting public disorder.

In September 2023, the court imposed a three-year prison sentence on Hằng for “abuse of freedoms and democratic rights” after she was found guilty of slandering various individuals.

However, following her expression of remorse and full restitution, her sentence was subsequently reduced to two years and nine months during an appellate court hearing in April this year.

In addition, a lecturer from the HCM City Law University received a 2.5-year sentence, while two of Hằng’s employees were sentenced to 18 months in prison for disseminating unverified information regarding the private lives of several individuals on social media.

The court determined that the defendants “infringed upon the interests of the State, as well as the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals,” particularly targeting celebrities and singers by deliberately damaging their reputations and violating their dignity.

Their actions not only contravened the Cybersecurity Law but also produced “negative effects on public order and social security,” as ruled by the judges.

Hằng, 53, and her accomplices orchestrated 57 livestream sessions on social media platforms, employing derogatory language to undermine the honour and dignity of various individuals.

The sessions were conducted at Hằng’s private residence in District 3 of HCM City and at the Đại Nam Tourism Area in Bình Dương Province.

In court, Hằng expressed remorse for her actions and articulated her intention to engage in charitable activities and support the underprivileged.

Her husband, Huỳnh Uy Dũng, serves as the legal representative of a company based in Bình Dương, and the couple is known for both their lavish lifestyle and philanthropic endeavors.

Hằng and her associates were apprehended in March of 2023 after disregarding multiple warnings from law enforcement and persisting in their livestreaming activities.

They were sentenced under Article 331 of the Penal Code. — VNS