Conviction of Le Quoc Quan lands U.S.-Vietnam relations are tough

By Sunny Peter, International Business Times

The sentencing of a prominent U.S.-trained human rights lawyer to 30 months in prison in a tax evasion case by a Hanoi court on Wednesday could hit U.S.-Vietnam relations. Le Quoc Quan, 42, is one of Vietnam’s best-known activist-blogger. Following the sentencing, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi issued a statement accusing Vietnam of using tax laws for political ends and urging the government to release other political prisoners.

File photo of a Vietnamese police officer in Hanoi.

Accordingly to reports, Mr Quan was arrested last December while on his way to drop his daughter off at school. He has earlier posted an article on his blog criticising the role of the Communist Party and its hold on power in Vietnam.

The court ruled Mr Quan guilty of evading payment on $30,000 in corporate income tax. Describing himself as being the victim of “political plots,” Mr Quan maintained his innocence throughout the half-day-long court proceedings.

“If the court represents justice, then find me innocent,” he said.

Reacting to the conviction, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said the use of tax laws by Vietnamese authorities to imprison government critics for peacefully expressing their political views is disturbing.

“We call on the government to release prisoners of conscience and allow all Vietnamese to peacefully express their political views,” the embassy statement said.

Mr Quan’s lawyer, Ha Huy Son, meanwhile, said that his client will appeal the conviction. “I myself found that the evidence that the prosecutors presented wasn’t really convincing,” Mr Son commented.

Read the full story by Sunny Peter from International Business Times.