[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 5



VIETNAM:

Drug dealer on death row may be innocent


A man twice sentenced to death for dealing drugs in southern Vietnam may
be innocent, after a drug dealer claimed she had picked him out randomly
and claimed he was involved.

At the appeal Supreme Peoples Court in Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Nguyen Anh
Thu, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 for heroin trafficking from
Cambodiam said she arbitrarily fingered Nguyen Minh Hung of Tay Ninh
province as her accomplice because she was under intense pressures from
the investigation.

Hung was charged with buying over 8 kg of heroin after Thus notebook
revealed a mobile phone number later traced down to Hung and a red shirt
also purportedly belonging to him.

He has consistently pleaded innocent since the case began.

A Tay Ninh court sentenced him to death, later rescinded the verdict for a
re-investigation, only to find him guilty a 2nd time.

But now it is likely that the cell phone number and the shirt do not
belong to him.

Hung claimed he did subscribe the number but that it was done on behalf of
a distant relative. Many photos now show the red shirt belongs to Hungs
younger brother.

Thu admitted she regrets claiming Hung was involved, and asked the court
to release him.

Possessing, trading or trafficking 600 grams (1.32 pounds) of heroin is
punishable by death in Vietnam.

(source: Thanh Nien Daily)