Authorities to apologise to innocent death row prisoner
>> Death-row prisoner released after years of imprisonment
The Hanoi People's Supreme Court will organise a meeting on April 25 to apologise to Han Duc Long from Bac Giang Province who was wrongly given a death sentence.
"Our family have always hoped that my husband would be publicly apologised to and his name would be cleared. His health is weak after he was released so I hope the apology will make him feel better," said Nguyen Thi Mai, Long's wife.
Long also requested to be apologised to publicly as he was wrongly sentenced by investigative agencies and Bac Giang Province People's Procuracy.
According to Long, his rights, pride, and good name were tarnished while he was being investigated and imprisoned. He was scorned by the community and cold-shouldered by his neighbours. That's why he requested a public apology.
In 2005, the body of Nguyen Thi Yen, born in 2000, was found. There were signs that she was raped. Four months later, the provincial police suspended the case and encourage local people to denounce the killer. A neighbour claimed that Long had raped her and her daughter and Yen. While being investigated, it was said that Long admitted to raping and killing Yen.
Long was sentenced to death by Bac Giang Province People's Court and Supreme People's Court in four hearings from 2007 to 2011. Long claimed he was innocent and that his statement was taken under duress.
In 2014, the Supreme People's Court reopened the case to clear up conflicting details of the case. President Truong Tan Sang asked the judicial agencies to re-investigate the case after receiving the petition from Long's family.
On August 25 last year, Bac Giang People's Procuracy announced that they had returned the case to Bac Giang police for further investigation as there was not enough evidence to accuse Long of murder.
Han Duc Long at his home after being released in 2016
"Our family have always hoped that my husband would be publicly apologised to and his name would be cleared. His health is weak after he was released so I hope the apology will make him feel better," said Nguyen Thi Mai, Long's wife.
Long also requested to be apologised to publicly as he was wrongly sentenced by investigative agencies and Bac Giang Province People's Procuracy.
According to Long, his rights, pride, and good name were tarnished while he was being investigated and imprisoned. He was scorned by the community and cold-shouldered by his neighbours. That's why he requested a public apology.
In 2005, the body of Nguyen Thi Yen, born in 2000, was found. There were signs that she was raped. Four months later, the provincial police suspended the case and encourage local people to denounce the killer. A neighbour claimed that Long had raped her and her daughter and Yen. While being investigated, it was said that Long admitted to raping and killing Yen.
Long was sentenced to death by Bac Giang Province People's Court and Supreme People's Court in four hearings from 2007 to 2011. Long claimed he was innocent and that his statement was taken under duress.
In 2014, the Supreme People's Court reopened the case to clear up conflicting details of the case. President Truong Tan Sang asked the judicial agencies to re-investigate the case after receiving the petition from Long's family.
On August 25 last year, Bac Giang People's Procuracy announced that they had returned the case to Bac Giang police for further investigation as there was not enough evidence to accuse Long of murder.
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