The Conviction

On Sept. 22, 2016, the Hanoi People’s Court held a first-instance trial [1] for Vu Van Binh, who was 18 years old at the time, on the charge of “intending to cause injury” according to the Penal Code. Binh, a juvenile detainee and a resident of Chuong My District, Hanoi, was accused of assaulting his fellow cellmate, Do Dang Du while both were in police detention, eventually leading to Du’s death. The court later found Binh guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

The trial first opened on May 24, 2016, but the judicial board adjourned the hearing and requested additional investigation as some details in the case needed clarification.