Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has commenced legal proceedings against the former editor-in-chief of Vietnamese newspaper Nguoi Cao Tuoi (The Elderly), Kim Quoc Hoa, for abusing democratic rights.

>> Vietnam’s newspaper editor-in-chief faces removal for abusing rights

The ministry’s investigation agency said the prosecution decision and the search warrant, which had been ratified by the Supreme People’s Procuracy, were served on Hoa, 70, at his home in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Hoa has been charged with “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” pursuant to Article 258 of the Penal Code.

He wrote, and approved the publication of, a number of articles in the newspaper that were untrue and badly affected the prestige of a number of agencies and organizations.  

Kim Quoc Hoa is also called Nguyen Quang Hoa, born in 1945 in the capital city.

Hoa was a soldier before becoming a reporter. He was the editor-in-chief of Chien Si Hau Can (Ordnance Soldier) newspaper. 

Before taking the wheel at Nguoi Cao Tuoi, Hoa was the editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre Thu Do (Capital’s Youth) newspaper, deputy editor-in-chief of Lao Dong Va Xa Hoi (Labor and Society) newspaper, editor-in-chief of Xay Dung (Construction) newspaper, and editor-in-chief of Doanh Nghiep Dau Tu Nuoc Ngoai (Foreign-Invested Enterprises) newspaper.

On February 9, 2015, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) held a press briefing at which it released the result of an inspection at Nguoi Cao Tuoi.

The MIC also announced the transfer of the inspection results to the investigation agency and the revocation of the press card from Hoa.

The ministry also proposed that the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, which manages Nguoi Cao Tuoi, remove Hoa from his post.

The MIC then announced the revocation of the license of the website of Nguoi Cao Tuoi as it had published articles which “[abused] freedom and democratic rights,” leading to its shutdown.

On the same day, the investigation agency issued a decision to commence legal proceedings for the criminal case, “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens,” which occurred at the newspaper.

On March 12, 2015, the Vietnam Association of the Elderly relieved Hoa of his editor-in-chief position.

Hoa was required to hand over his duties as well as all relevant materials and assets of the newspaper to Nguyen Duy Quyen, his deputy, before March 31, 2015.

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