Former policemen jailed for brutality

former police officers at the court

According to prosecutors, Thanh had repeatedly hit Kieu on the head with a rubber baton, causing brain injuries. The other four had also hit Kieu on the body with rubber batons during the interrogation, they said.

A post-mortem showed that Kieu had died from brain and other injuries.

Vietnamnews | Apr 15, 2015

The People’s Court of central Phu Yen Province yesterday sentenced five former police officers to a total of 16 years’ in jail for brutality.

Nguyen Than Thao Thanh was given eight years for beating a prisoner, Ngo Thanh Kieu, to death during an interrogation.

The other four, Nguyen Minh Quyen, Pham Ngoc Man, Nguyen Tan Quang and Do Nhu Huy, were sentenced from one year to two years and six months for the same offence.

Another defendant, Le Duc Hoan, received nine months’ probation for “negligence of responsibility, causing serious consequences”.

The five guilty men were also banned from holding police positions for three to five years after being released from jail.

Tuy Hoa City Police were also ordered to pay a monthly amount of VND575,000 (US$27) to each child of the victim.

The five men were found guilty of beating Kieu, 32, to death while questioning him about his alleged involvement in a burglary that took place in 2012.

According to prosecutors, Thanh had repeatedly hit Kieu on the head with a rubber baton, causing brain injuries. The other four had also hit Kieu on the body with rubber batons during the interrogation, they said.

A post-mortem showed that Kieu had died from brain and other injuries.

Viet Nam signed the UN Convention against Torture in 2013, the sixth state to do so in the ASEAN region. — VNS