Eighteen Vietnamese officials might face from 20 years in prison to the death sentence related to repatriation flights bringing overseas Vietnamese home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vietnamese citizens arrived at Cantho International Airport on a repatriation flight in May 2020. Photo: Vietnam Airlines

Fifty-four defendants were charged today (April 19) by the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam with "giving, taking, and brokering bribes," "power abuse on duty," and "misappropriating assets." Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), and some cities and provinces were among the offenders.

Eighteen people are indicted with "taking bribes" under Article 315 of the Penal Code, which carries from 20 years in prison to the death penalty. Former deputy minister of foreign affairs Anh Dung, former Director of the Consular Department Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, former deputy head of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung, and former deputy head of the Quang Nam People's Committee Tran Van Tan are among those accused of this offense.

Under the indictment, 21 officials had received VND180 billion (US$7.8 million).

The Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam released the indictment two weeks after the police wrapped up the investigation into the offense perpetrated between April 2020 and January 2022.

The offenders are senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Defense; diplomats of some Vietnamese missions abroad; and business executives, mainly travel agents.

The investigating agency alleges that two businesses that took part in the repatriation flights had to raise airfares and charge additional fees to overseas Vietnamese who desired to return to the country for quarantine due to an increase in infections abroad.

According to the indictment, from the beginning of 2020 to 2021, Vietnam operated over 1,000 flights, bringing home more than 200,000 citizens from 62 countries and territories.

Between April 2020 and January 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department asked the government to approve scheduling 772 flights to return nationals, including 400 rescue flights and 372 combo ones (repatriation flights plus quarantine accommodation and meals).

The investigation indicates that this serious incident occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic when the defendants flouted the law to profiteer from the pandemic and tarnished Vietnam’s reputation.

As soon as the pandemic broke out, the Government of Vietnam quickly sent airplanes abroad to repatriate its citizens who wished to return home. The repatriation and quarantine were free of charge in the beginning.