Trinh Xuan Thanh should return to surrender: Deputy Minister of Public Security

• MPS issues international wanted notice for Trinh Xuan Thanh
• Process of arrest and assets revocation of Trinh Xuan Thanh
• Deputy Minister of Public Security works with police forces in Can Tho city

Urging on Trinh Xuan Thanh to return to Vietnam to surrender in order to receive more lenient treatment, Deputy Minister Le Quy Vuong stressed that Vietnam’s laws are very humanitarian and clement.

He stated that the Penal Code stipulates very clearly about the time of the arrest warrant. Accordingly, the arrest warrant for Trinh Xuan Thanh will only expire when he has been arrested.

Deputy Minister Le Quy Vương on the sidelines of the NA’s meeting.

The Deputy Minister also acknowledged that it is not easy to arrest Trinh Xuan Thanh after the man went overseas on a sick leave in mid-August and has never returned since, although Vietnam has signed Judicial Assistance agreements with many countries.

Regarding the freezing of Trinh Xuan Thanh’s assets, Senior Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong said, as stipulated by law, the investigation agency will consider freezing the assets owned by the suspect and the assets owned by the suspect’s relatives for the investigation purpose. He revealed that that the police is verifying the real ownership of the mansion in Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc Province and other assets, which the press and people have recently suspected.

The case will be brought to trial as soon as the investigation police has collected enough evidence even if Trinh Xuan Thanh hasn’t been arrested, he affirmed.

Trinh Xuan Thanh, former Deputy Chairman of the Hau Giang Provincial People’s Committee and former Chairman of PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC), is accused of causing the massive losses at the company, a subsidiary of the state-run oil and gas giant PetroVietnam.

On September 8, the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee decided to expel Thanh from the Party, with 100 percent vote.

 On September 16, The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has issued an international wanted notice for Trinh Xuan Thanh.