Soldier Tran Duc Do, who died in questionable circumstances, was just buried by his family on the afternoon of July 1, an aunt of this soldier confirmed to VOA.
An aunt named Trang said that Do, 19 years old, was buried at the cemetery in Da Hoi village, Chau Khe ward, Tu Son town, Bac Ninh province.
As VOA reported, Ms. Trang and his relatives in the past 3 days have posted many articles, photos, and videos on social networks alleging that he was “brutally tortured” and “beaten to death” at a military unit stationed in Thai Nguyen province.
This unit informed the family that Mr. Do “committed suicide by hanging himself ” on June 28, according to Ms. Trang’s account. However, the family side, based on the condition of Mr. Do’s body with many “all dangerous” injuries, confirmed that he was killed and that someone “created a fake scene.”
Meanwhile, the Military School of Military Region 1 released an official report on the death of soldier Tran Duc Do, quoted by Vietnam’s state-controlled media, which said that during a training session at Ban Dat training ground, Thai Nguyen province, Mr. Do “ask for permission to go out to the toilet” at 2 pm on June 28, and 30 minutes later, the unit found Mr. Do “in the position of hanging himself on a tree” behind the training’s restroom.
This soldier was taken to Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Hospital for emergency treatment, but at 15:30 on the same day, the hospital announced that it could not save his life, still according to the report of the military unit.
During the days from June 28 to 30, Mr. Do’s aunt Trang posted many articles and videos on social networks showing that his family was not convinced about the information of the military unit, they wanted a serious investigation, including an autopsy to clarify the cause of death and “vindicate” Mr. Do.
Information on social networks shows that Mr. Do’s family initially wanted to preserve his body to retain evidence. They contacted morgues in the area but were rejected and so had to buy freezers to do so.
However, according to domestic press reports, after representatives of the army and local authorities met and “propagandized and mobilized” with his family, they held Mr. Do’s funeral at 2 pm. July 1st.
VOA tried to find out through Do’s aunt Trang how committed the military and government are to the family about clarifying his death, and she replied:
“Our family cannot disclose because the military they are working with the parents of soldier Tran Duc Do. I wasn’t there, and I don’t understand it.”
Ms. Trang added to VOA that at this time it is difficult for the media to contact Mr. Do’s parents because they are very sad and do not want to see anyone.
Speaking to the Vietnamese press about this case, Lieutenant General Duong Dinh Thong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of Military Zone 1 said that functional agencies of the Ministry of National Defense had launched an investigation.
Still, the domestic press quoted Colonel Nguyen Xuan Thin, head of the Propaganda Department of Military Region 1, as saying that four units were participating in the investigation of the death of young soldier Tran Duc Do.
That is the Criminal Investigation Division of Military Region 1; The Criminal Investigation Department and the Security Protection Department, both under the Ministry of National Defense, and Thai Nguyen province’s Police Department.
These agencies will assess and evaluate on the basis of science to draw accurate and objective conclusions about the cause of Mr. Do’s death, according to reports in domestic newspapers.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
