The People’s Supreme Procuracy (PSP) today decided to suspend the case of the former editor-in-chief of the The Elderly newspaper.

Former editor-in-chief of the Elderly faces investigation

Kim Quoc Hoa

The 70-year-old Kim Quoc Hoa would be cleared of any criminal charges he faced, including abuse of freedom and democratic rights to violate the State’s interests and rights, as well as the interests of organisations and citizens.

The PSP said it reached the decision after considering Hoa’s acknowledgement of his faults as well as his life devoted to the country, having received several medals and merit certificates from the Party and the Government.

The PSP also believed that Hoa is no longer a threat to society.

Hoa was prosecuted and forced to leave as editor-in-chief in May last year, three months after his newspaper The Elderly was shut down by the Ministry of Information and Communications for several wrongdoings.

The newspaper was said to have published a number of stories that verged on disclosing State secrets, violated regulations on the protection of State secrets, and committed other abuses of freedom and democratic rights.

The newspaper was fined VNĐ700 million (US$32,000). 

VNS