According to the indictment of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuratorate, Nguyen Wiliam Anh is a student studying for a master degree in Singapore. Nguyen regularly monitors the political situation in Vietnam and learnt that opposition marches against the bill on Special Zone and Cyber Security Law of Vietnam would be held on June 10, 2018.
Before coming back to Vietnam, Nguyen Wiliam Anh exchanged messages to discuss via facebook with facebookers "Vi Tran" and "Anthony T. Nguyen" about how to participate in the march.
On June 9, Nguyen Anh Nguyen entered Vietnam and rented room in Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street (District 3) to accommodate.
In the morning of June 10, after drinking coffee in the center of District 1, Nguyen Wiliam Anh picked up taxi to Hoang Van Thu Park and joined the crowd.
When the crowd was blocked by the police, Nguyen Wiliam Anh climbed over the police car and helped many others to climb over.
He together with other people tried to shake to flip over the car but failed. Nguyen Wiliam then pushed police motorbike aside to make room for the crowd to get through the police barrier. Then, he moved into the city center but was detained.
The behavior of Nguyen Wiliam Anh had contributed to obstruction, the traffic jam that severely interrupted transportation for many hours from Tan Son Nhat airport to the center of Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, 13 passengers missed the flight and many other buses were stopped due to traffic gridlock.
At the hearing in the court, Nguyen Wiliam admitted the whole offense as he was accused.
He also admitted that although he did not deeply understand the two law bills but still participated in the immoderate riot violence, and he knew the fact that not being a Vietnamese citizen but participated in a large gathering in Vietnam is against the law and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
"Each country has its own legal system for social governance, with the aim of developing that country better. The defendant did not know the information but he had come to Vietnam to immoderately gather, violating the Vietnamese Law”, the judge of the trial explained.
Ending the hearing, William Nguyen expressed his regret and wishes to receive the leniency of the law and a slight sentence so that he can get the opportunity to continue the study.
According to the judgment of the Trial Panel, the behavior of defendant Nguyen Wiliam Anh is dangerous, causing bad influence on security situation, social order. However, the judges also considered extenuating circumstances for the defendant: such as first offense, foreign nationality, sincere declaration.
