The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court has just issued a decision to bring to trial 254 defendants in the case that occurred at the Vietnam Register, the Registration Center in Ho Chi Minh City and registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Ben Tre, and Soc Trang .

The trial is scheduled to take place from July 18 to October 18, with Judge Huynh Van Truc presiding.

Responding to the press, Mr. Pham Ngoc Duy (Chief of Office of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court) said that this is a case with an exceptionally large number of participants, including: 254 defendants, more than 200 lawyers and more than 60 victims who are individuals and organizations. Therefore, all preparations have been planned and coordinated by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court with relevant units, to ensure the trial takes place smoothly and safely over a long period of time.

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Defendant Tran Ky Hinh - former Director of the Vietnam Register. Photo: CA

Regarding the organization method, Mr. Duy said that the case will be tried directly at the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court and combined with image and sound transmission at the T30 prison bridge (Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City).

“The court is coordinating with Ho Chi Minh City Television to deploy the transmission of images and sounds to the T30 bridge. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court will arrange continuous courtrooms in two large courtrooms to ensure that all people involved in the case have a seat to watch the trial,” said Mr. Duy.

According to Mr. Duy, due to the nature and characteristics of the case, the panel of judges will conduct questioning and examination of each group of crimes and groups of behaviors. Therefore, when the time comes for questioning and examination of a group of defendants, that group will be extracted and escorted to court for direct questioning. The defendants in the remaining groups will follow the trial via video link.

This ensures that all defendants, lawyers and those involved in the case are monitored throughout the trial. All defendants (even if they are monitored at the T30 bridge) can still interact and work with the panel of judges, and the defendants' rights will be guaranteed to the maximum. Defendants on bail must be present in court during the trial.

As for the case of defendant Do Trung Hoc (former Head of the River Ship Department of the Vietnam Register) - the only person wanted in the case, the court is currently serving and posting the notice according to regulations.