Hồ Văn Phương Tâm appears at his first-instance trial in Huế on July 9, where he was sentenced to 42 months in prison for damaging the Nguyễn Dynasty royal throne, a designated national treasure. — Photo courtesy of Ministry of Public Security

HUẾ — A court in the central city of Huế on Thursday sentenced a 43-year-old man to 42 months in prison for intentionally damaging the Nguyễn Dynasty royal throne – a recognised national treasure – in a case of serious vandalism that sparked widespread public outrage last year.

The People's Court of Area 2 in Huế found Hồ Văn Phương Tâm, a resident of Kim Long Ward, guilty of "intentionally damaging property" after he broke part of the historic throne at Thái Hòa Palace inside the Imperial Citadel in May 2025.

According to the indictment, Tâm entered the Imperial Citadel as a ticketed visitor at around 11:55am on May 24, 2025. At Thái Hòa Palace, he climbed over a protective barrier, sat on the royal throne and snapped off the front left section of its backrest before continuing to smash it into several pieces.

Security personnel restrained him about 15 minutes later and handed him over to police.

The Nguyễn Dynasty throne is a unique original artefact used between 1802 and 1945 during important royal ceremonies at Thái Hòa Palace. It was officially recognised as a national treasure by the Prime Minister in 2015.

An official valuation concluded that the minimum cost of restoring the damaged section exceeds VNĐ173 million (US$6,600). The assessment also stated that the historical, cultural and spiritual losses resulting from the damage are impossible to quantify in monetary terms.

Hồ Văn Phương Tâm breached the barriers to sit on the imperial throne and broke the armrest in this still from a video recorded by witness tourists in May last year.

Investigators determined that at the time of the incident, Tâm was suffering from a severe mental disorder caused by prolonged methamphetamine use, leaving him incapable of recognising or controlling his actions.

However, under Việt Nam's Criminal Code, offenders remain criminally liable if their loss of mental capacity results from the voluntary use of illegal drugs. Following compulsory psychiatric treatment, medical experts concluded that while Tâm's cognitive and behavioural control remained impaired, he was no longer completely incapable of understanding or controlling his actions.

In handing down the sentence, the trial panel said the defendant's actions had seriously damaged a national treasure and undermined efforts to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

The throne has been restored and placed back inside the palace for public viewing in early June, with strengthened security measures including the installation of additional surveillance cameras, reinforced glass barriers and increased staffing to ensure the artefact's safety.— VNS