Police in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong summoned the owner of a Facebook account spreading fake news about the arrest of individuals carrying firearms at the Go! Supermarket in Da Lat City on Tuesday.

“There was an incident at BigC where five individuals armed with guns were apprehended, leading to the immediate closure of all shopping centers, services, markets, and entertainment venues,” a user who declared themselves as Th.M. wrote on their personal Facebook account on Tuesday afternoon.

BigC was the old name of the Go! Supermarket, located at the Lam Vien Square on Tran Quoc Toan Street in Da Lat.

Following the dissemination of the fake news, various versions emerged, including claims of citywide bans on outdoor activities and riots with shootings. 

However, local police confirmed these reports to be entirely false, damaging the reputation and infringing on the rights of local organizations while causing confusion among the public.

Police officers determined that the Th.M. account is managed by N.Th., born in 1998 and currently residing in Hiep Thanh Commune, Duc Trong District, Lam Dong Province.

Following her summons, N.Th. admitted to acquiring the unverified information from online groups and sharing it on her personal Facebook account. 

Acknowledging her violations, N.Th. voluntarily removed the post and vowed not to repeat the offense. 

Presently, police are preparing to handle N.Th.’s case in accordance with the law.

They are collaborating with relevant units to investigate other instances of disseminating false information pertaining to security and public order in Da Lat, especially within closed online groups. 

In Vietnam, those found guilty of spreading fabricated or misleading information causing public confusion shall face administrative penalties per Decree 15/2020/ND-CP or criminal prosecution for “illegally providing or using information on computer networks and telecommunications networks” under Article 288 of the 2015 Penal Code.

These legal proceedings entail fines ranging from VND200 million (US$7,890) to VND1 billion ($39,455) or imprisonment of two to seven years.

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