Ex-Vietnamese Lawmaker Exempted From Criminal Liability After Fatal Crash

Vietnamese police have exempted former National Assembly member Nguyen Sy Cuong from criminal liability following a fatal traffic accident in Hanoi, according to announcements made on August 17, 2025. The crash, which occurred on May 30, 2025, on Nguyen Huy Tu Street, involved a BMW X3 driven by Cuong that crossed into the opposite lane and struck a motorcycle carrying a man and his 18-year-old daughter. The father sustained a broken leg, while his daughter lost her right leg and died a week later.

Investigation Details and Legal Exemption

Colonel Nguyen Duc Long, deputy director of Hanoi Police, stated that Cuong violated traffic safety regulations but met all conditions for exemption from criminal responsibility. According to Vietnam Television reports cited by ucanews.com, police found no alcohol in Cuong’s system at the time of the collision, and he admitted his involvement. Hanoi police reported that the victim’s family agreed with the findings and submitted a request that Cuong not face criminal prosecution.

Cuong served as a deputy head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Foreign Affairs during its 14th tenure from 2011 to 2021. Because state media did not publicly identify him during much of the investigation, speculation arose on social media regarding his connections, with online users noting his marriage to Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Lam Thi Phuong Thanh.

Online Outrage and Public Commemoration

The case drew widespread attention online after being shared on social media sites, prompting public memorials. An online memorial website for the victim recorded more than 50,000 visitors and over 67,000 virtual bouquets by August 18, 2025, according to ucanews.com. Citizens also began placing physical bouquets beneath a tree at the crash site—referred to by social media users as the justice tree.

Authorities removed the flowers on August 14, 2025, and deployed plainclothes officers to the location. In response, young people tied white ribbons to their backpacks to commemorate the victim. Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, publicly characterized these public displays as the work of reactionary forces and accused the US-based organization Viet Tan of exploiting the case to incite disorder. Government-affiliated social media accounts warned students to remain vigilant against potential manipulation and color revolutions, while several Hanoi universities issued warnings against participating in unauthorized gatherings or spontaneous commemorations.