VietNamNet Bridge - Mr. Le Van Hien, former Chairman of Tien Lang district, Hai Phong city, has been prosecuted for "lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" under Article 285 of the Penal Code.

Le Van Hien, former Chairman of Tien Lang district.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Pham Duy, the spokesman of Hai Phong City Police, Hien is granted bail.

Related to the case "Destroying property" of Mr. Doan Van Vuon’s family, after nearly 10 months of investigation, Hai Phong police proposed to prosecute four former officials of Tien Lang district and Vinh Quang commune. In particular, former vice chair of Tien Lang district, Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh, 51, is identified as the one who instructed the destruction of Vuon’s house.

Khanh and other defendants - Pham Xuan Hoa, 57, former head of the Tien Lang District Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Le Thanh Liem, 49, former Chairman of Vinh Quang commune – are accused of "Destroying property" under Clause 3, Article 143 of the Criminal Code. Former Party Secretary of Vinh Quang commune, Pham Dang Hoan, 52, is accused of violating Clause 2, Article 143 of the Criminal Code.

Earlier, on January 5, 2012, the Tien Lang District's People's Committee used force to take back the lagoon of Mr. Doan Van Vuon, in Vinh Quang commune, Tien Lang district, because his land leasing contract had expired.

However, Vuon and his family had acts against the law enforcement forces and injured six policemen and soldiers.

On January 6, the home of Mr. Doan Van Quy (Doan Van Vuon’s brother,) which is not in the area of forced removal was demolished.

On February 8, Hai Phong City Police prosecuted the case "Destroying property" to investigate the demolition of Doan Van Quy’s house.

Related to this incident, on February 7, the Hai Phong City Party Committee suspended Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh from the vice chairmanship of Tien Lang district.

After the suspension, Khanh has been an expert of Tien Lang district People's Committee office until his arrest.

After being prosecuted and arrested, Khanh’s home in Tien Lang town, Tien Lang district, was searched.

Doan Van Vuon case in brief:

Vuon was detained on January 5, 2012, pending trial for his violent resistance against policemen and soldiers, who carried out a forced removal to reclaim 40 hectares of land that had long been allocated to him in Tien Lang District.

Angrily, Vuon and some others caused injuries to 6 police officers. He was arrested along with two other family members named Thuong and Hien.

Police have since proposed the prosecutor’s office to indict Vuon, Thuong and Hien on the same charge of “resisting law enforcers.”

The case has grabbed international attention after the chairman of Tien Lang District People’s Committee, Le Van Hien, was removed from the post and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stepped in to conclude that the district authorities had violated the Land Law in the said eviction.

At the meeting held on February 10, 2012, Prime Minister Dung ordered all wrong decisions regarding the land withdrawal be revoked and called for returning the land to Vuon’s family. The PM also concluded that mobilizing the military as was the case was illegal.

Haiphong municipal government in early April came to a final decision on the case:

Authorities in Tien Lang have been accused of several violations. They claimed an additional 19.3 ha of land from Vuon as part of a land allocation for an aquaculture site. Vuon had been on the land since 1997.

Their decision to take away Vuon’s land was found to be inconsistent with the Land Law drafted in 2003, as well as with the Government’s decree on implementation of said law.

The demolition by the local authorities to Vuon and Vuon’s brother Doan Van Quy’s houses was also ruled illegal. The perpetrators are now facing legal proceedings.

After carrying out an inspection over Vuon’s land use, the municipal government also found that he committed several misconducts.

Vuon had begun using land outside his allocated area, and was fined VND1 million (USD47.93) by the district government.

In addition, it was found that Vuon was involved in illegal deforestation while building his farm. This came with a fine of VND10 million (USD479.38), and he was compelled to make financial compensation amounting to VND5 million (USD239.69).

Vuon illegally leased his allocated land to some locals without getting approval from local authorities and pocketed a combined VND259,985,100 (USD12,463) between 1999 through February 18, 2012.

Vuon and his family used this land, which was allocated him for aquaculture, as a residence. He had been officially registered as a resident of Bac Hung Commune since 1993. This was in violation of the land use terms of his agreement. However, even after being notified by local authorities that he must start procedures to register the land as a temporary residence, Vuon failed to do so.

The farmer also owed back taxes for the years 2000-2007 for the use of the land. He has yet to pay VND10.035 million (USD481.06) out of the total VND52,616,700 (USD2,522) worth of land use tax during that period.

Despite Vuon’s misconduct, the municipal government decided that he will continue to have the right to use his land in accordance with the current land use laws.

The district authorities have mapped out a plan on the issue, which are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The city’s investigative agencies are speeding up their investigation on the demolition of Vuon’s house by district authorities. Depending on the evidence that arises, Vuon will compensated for the assets lost as a result of the incident.

The violent confrontation left six police officers injured is also still under investigation.

As a result of this investigation, Doan Van Vuon, Doan Van Quy, Doan Van Sinh, Doan Van Ve, Doan Van Thoai and Pham Thai must go to trial for attempted murder.

Vuon’s wife and Quy’s wife must appear in court for protesting.

Vuon, Quy, Sinh and Ve were released from custody, but were both placed under house arrest.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Thai and Thoai who fled.

Fifty people have already been disciplined for their involvement with the case after the Prime Minister’s decision of February 10.

Compiled by Mai Lan