Ex-lawmaker Luu Binh Nhuong expelled from Communist Party

The Central Inspection Committee has removed Luu Binh Nhuong, former vice head of the National Assembly’s Ombudsman Committee, from the Vietnam Communist Party for "abusing his positions and power for personal gain".

In a Wednesday release, the committee said Nhuong showed deterioration of political ideology, ethics and lifestyle, and signs of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation".

"Self-evolution" and "self-transformation" indicate internal changes of a Party member from perception to action, making them turn from a good person to a bad one. In the worst possibility, they may counter the Party, the State and the people.

Nhuong also breached Party regulations and State laws, violated regulations on the Party members' code of conduct and their responsibility to set an example while performing their duties, took advantage of positions and power for personal gain, violated the Law on Protection of State Secrets, and negatively affected the reputation of Party organizations and State agencies.

On November 14, the Thai Binh province police investigative agency arrested Luu Binh Nhuong on charges of extortion, per Article 150 of the Penal Code.

The move was the result of an expanded investigation against Pham Minh Cuong, a 37-year-old notorious gangster in the northern province.

Luu Binh Nhuong, born in 1963, was a National Assembly member in 2016-2021, or the 14th tenure of parliament. He is not a National Assembly member in the current (15th) tenure but was a vice head of the National Assembly’s Ombudsman Committee since his appointment in 2018. He has a doctorate degree in economic laws.

Nhuong is well-known for outspoken statements during National Assembly meetings and discussions.

Pham Minh Cuong was arrested for the same charge as Nhuong in May 2023. In 2020-2022, Cuong illegally coerced sand mining businesses into selling part of their products to him at low prices or paying him money.

Cuong was found to have profiteered billions of VND (VND1 billion = $41,200) from his wrongdoings. Cuong was also prosecuted for “assault” and “disturbing public order” in April 2022.

The Thai Binh police said this as a particularly serious case, causing frustration among the people and seriously affecting the province's investment environment. They are expanding the investigation.