- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: CHINESE BUSINESSMAN EXECUTED AS WEEPING FAMILY TRIES TO SEE HIM
- Date: 15th March 1966
- Summary: FIRING SQUAD ARRIVING AT EXECUTION SITE, VINH'S FAMILY STRUGGLING WITH POLICE, A POLICE VEHICLE ARRIVING AT THE SITE WITH VINH, AND A DISTANT SHOT OF THE EXECUTION. FILM ALSO SHOWS ROMAN CATHOLIC AND BUDDHIST PRIESTS MOVING FORWARD TO ADMINISTER LAST RITES, AND AN AMBULANCE DRIVING AWAY WITH VINH'S BODY. Initials DE/S/MR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th March 1966 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA147VKE4CF60F6PTZELQGIJDAG
- Story Text: A TEN-MAN FIRING SQUAD YESTERDAY (MONDAY) EXECUTED A 35-YEAR-OLD CHINESE BUSINESSMAN IN THE CENTRAL MARKET PLACE IN SAIGON. WHEN THE SHOTS RANG OUT, HIS WIFE AND EIGHT CHILDREN WERE STRUGGLING WITH THE POLICE SOME DISTANCE AWAY AS THEY TRIED TO APPROACH THE EXECUTION SITE. THE BUSINESSMAN, TA VINH, HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF COMMODITY HOARDING, SPECULATION AND THE BRIBERY OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
TA VINH IS THE FIRST MAN TO BE CONVICTED BY THE COURT IN AN INTENSIFIED DRIVE AGAINST CORRUPTION AND SPECULATION. HE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES.
A BATTALION OF GOVERNMENT PARATROOPERS KEPT MOST OF THE PUBLIC WELL AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE EXECUTION. ABOUT FORTY NEWSMEN WERE ALLOWED THROUGH - BUT WERE NOT ALLOWED VERY CLOSE TO THE SITE. MILITARY LORRIES HAD THEIR HEADLIGHTS BEAMED ON CAMERAMEN AND PHOTOGRAPHERS THROUGHOUT THE EXECUTION.
VINH'S APPEAL FOR CLEMENCY WAS REJECTED THREE DAYS PREVIOUSLY BY THE CHIEF OF STATE, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL NGUYEN VAN THIEU. (ANOTHER MAN, A FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, HAS SINCE ALSO BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY THE COURT.
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