Vietnam court sentences to death PetroVietnam ex-chairman in mass trialHANOI (Reuters) - A court in Vietnam sentenced to death a former chairman of state -run PetroVietnam on Friday after finding him guilty in a mass  trial of 51 officials and bankers accused of graft and mismanagement that led to losses of $69 million. The death sentence for ex-PetroVietnam chairman Nguyen Xuan Son was the first time in years it had been given to such a senior former official and comes amid an intensifying corruption crackdown and maneuvering within the ruling Communist Party. Son maintained his innocence and would appeal against the verdict from the People s Court of Hanoi, his lawyer, Le Minh Tam, told Reuters. The death penalty had been recommended by the state prosecution.  Vietnam is among the world s biggest executioners, according to Amnesty International. In recent years it has replaced firing squads with lethal injections. Son was on trial as both the former chairman of PetroVietnam and the former chief executive of Ocean Group s banking unit, Ocean Bank, which was taken over by the central bank in 2015 after being unable to pay its debts. The court in Hanoi also sentenced Ha Van Tham, founder of Ocean Group and once one of Vietnam s most high profile tycoons, to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of embezzlement, violations of bank lending regulations and abuse of power. Dozens of other banking and energy officials were also jailed.  These harsh sentences are mainly for public effect,  said Carl Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy. But they would have little effect without improving governance in the one-party state, he said. The ruling Communist Party has taken a tougher stance on corruption since Vietnam s security establishment emerged stronger from a power struggle last year in which ex-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung lost out. Some critics have accused Vietnam s rulers of a witch-hunt following the launch of investigations implicating increasingly senior figures. Son was arrested in 2015, under the previous administration. On Friday, he was found guilty of embezzlement, intentional breaches of state rules over economic management leading to serious consequences and abuse of position and power. The head of a unit of state-run shipping firm Vinashin was sentenced to death over losses in February, but he was much less senior than Son. Investigations into PetroVietnam have seen a Politburo member who was a former PetroVietnam chairman, a vice trade minister sacked from their positions and a former deputy central bank governor prosecuted. The PetroVietnam investigations also grabbed global attention when Germany accused Vietnam of kidnapping former executive Trinh Xuan Thanh in Berlin last month to face trial over a separate case. Thanh had been cleared under Dung s government, official documents reviewed by Reuters showed. Dung lost out last year in the battle to secure the post of Communist Party General Secretary, Vietnam s most powerful position. The post remained in the hands of Nguyen Phu Trong, who has a more modest public profile. The court finished hearing the case against Son on Monday, when he pleaded for the court not to give  an unjust verdict  and said he could not believe he was being prosecuted for embezzlement and had become  like a soulless person.  Tham admitted the charge of lending violations at Ocean Bank, but denied graft allegations. Neither he nor Son were given a chance to speak after the verdict on Friday. Amnesty International said in April that Vietnam had executed more people than any country except China and Iran over the period from August 2013 to June 2016 after official figures showing 429 executions were published in local media. worldnews
vietnam court sentences death petrovietnam mass trialhanoi reuters a court vietnam sentenced death former chairman state petrovietnam friday finding guilty mass trial officials bankers accused graft mismanagement led losses million the death sentence chairman nguyen juan son first time years given senior former official comes amid intensifying corruption crackdown maneuvering within ruling communist party son maintained innocence would appeal verdict people court hand lawyer le min tam told reuters the death penalty recommended state prosecution vietnam among world biggest executioner according amnesty international in recent years replaced firing squads lethal injections son trial former chairman petrovietnam former chief executive ocean group banking unit ocean bank taken central bank unable pay debts the court hand also sentenced ha van that founder ocean group one vietnam high profile tycoon life imprisonment he found guilty embezzlement violations bank lending regulations abuse power dozens banking energy officials also jailed these harsh sentences mainly public effect said carl player vietnam expert australian defense force academy but would little effect without improving governance state said the ruling communist party taken tougher stance corruption since vietnam security establishment emerged stronger power struggle last year minister nguyen tan dung lost some critics accused vietnam rulers following launch investigations implications increasingly senior figures son arrested previous administration on friday found guilty embezzlement intentional breaches state rules economic management leading serious consequences abuse position power the head unit shipping firm vinashin sentenced death losses february much less senior son investigations petrovietnam seen politburo member former petrovietnam chairman vice trade minister sacked positions former deputy central bank governor prosecuted the petrovietnam investigations also grabbed global attention germany accused vietnam kidnapping former executive think juan than berlin last month face trial separate case than cleared dung government official documents reviewed reuters showed dung lost last year battle secure post communist party general secretary vietnam powerful position the post remained hands nguyen hu trong modest public profile the court finished hearing case son monday pleaded court give unjust verdict said could believe prosecuted embezzlement become like goalless person that admitted charge lending violations ocean bank denied graft allegations neither son given chance speak verdict friday amnesty international said april vietnam executed people country except china iran period august june official figures showing executions published local media worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Vietnam court sentences to death PetroVietnam ex-chairman in mass trialHANOI (Reuters) - A court in Vietnam sentenced to death a former chairman of state -run PetroVietnam on Friday after finding him guilty in a mass  trial of 51 officials and bankers accused of graft and mismanagement that led to losses of $69 million. The death sentence for ex-PetroVietnam chairman Nguyen Xuan Son was the first time in years it had been given to such a senior former official and comes amid an intensifying corruption crackdown and maneuvering within the ruling Communist Party. Son maintained his innocence and would appeal against the verdict from the People s Court of Hanoi, his lawyer, Le Minh Tam, told Reuters. The death penalty had been recommended by the state prosecution.  Vietnam is among the world s biggest executioners, according to Amnesty International. In recent years it has replaced firing squads with lethal injections. Son was on trial as both the former chairman of PetroVietnam and the former chief executive of Ocean Group s banking unit, Ocean Bank, which was taken over by the central bank in 2015 after being unable to pay its debts. The court in Hanoi also sentenced Ha Van Tham, founder of Ocean Group and once one of Vietnam s most high profile tycoons, to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of embezzlement, violations of bank lending regulations and abuse of power. Dozens of other banking and energy officials were also jailed.  These harsh sentences are mainly for public effect,  said Carl Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy. But they would have little effect without improving governance in the one-party state, he said. The ruling Communist Party has taken a tougher stance on corruption since Vietnam s security establishment emerged stronger from a power struggle last year in which ex-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung lost out. Some critics have accused Vietnam s rulers of a witch-hunt following the launch of investigations implicating increasingly senior figures. Son was arrested in 2015, under the previous administration. On Friday, he was found guilty of embezzlement, intentional breaches of state rules over economic management leading to serious consequences and abuse of position and power. The head of a unit of state-run shipping firm Vinashin was sentenced to death over losses in February, but he was much less senior than Son. Investigations into PetroVietnam have seen a Politburo member who was a former PetroVietnam chairman, a vice trade minister sacked from their positions and a former deputy central bank governor prosecuted. The PetroVietnam investigations also grabbed global attention when Germany accused Vietnam of kidnapping former executive Trinh Xuan Thanh in Berlin last month to face trial over a separate case. Thanh had been cleared under Dung s government, official documents reviewed by Reuters showed. Dung lost out last year in the battle to secure the post of Communist Party General Secretary, Vietnam s most powerful position. The post remained in the hands of Nguyen Phu Trong, who has a more modest public profile. The court finished hearing the case against Son on Monday, when he pleaded for the court not to give  an unjust verdict  and said he could not believe he was being prosecuted for embezzlement and had become  like a soulless person.  Tham admitted the charge of lending violations at Ocean Bank, but denied graft allegations. Neither he nor Son were given a chance to speak after the verdict on Friday. Amnesty International said in April that Vietnam had executed more people than any country except China and Iran over the period from August 2013 to June 2016 after official figures showing 429 executions were published in local media. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: vietnam court sentences death petrovietnam mass trialhanoi reuters a court vietnam sentenced death former chairman state petrovietnam friday finding guilty mass trial officials bankers accused graft mismanagement led losses million the death sentence chairman nguyen juan son first time years given senior former official comes amid intensifying corruption crackdown maneuvering within ruling communist party son maintained innocence would appeal verdict people court hand lawyer le min tam told reuters the death penalty recommended state prosecution vietnam among world biggest executioner according amnesty international in recent years replaced firing squads lethal injections son trial former chairman petrovietnam former chief executive ocean group banking unit ocean bank taken central bank unable pay debts the court hand also sentenced ha van that founder ocean group one vietnam high profile tycoon life imprisonment he found guilty embezzlement violations bank lending regulations abuse power dozens banking energy officials also jailed these harsh sentences mainly public effect said carl player vietnam expert australian defense force academy but would little effect without improving governance state said the ruling communist party taken tougher stance corruption since vietnam security establishment emerged stronger power struggle last year minister nguyen tan dung lost some critics accused vietnam rulers following launch investigations implications increasingly senior figures son arrested previous administration on friday found guilty embezzlement intentional breaches state rules economic management leading serious consequences abuse position power the head unit shipping firm vinashin sentenced death losses february much less senior son investigations petrovietnam seen politburo member former petrovietnam chairman vice trade minister sacked positions former deputy central bank governor prosecuted the petrovietnam investigations also grabbed global attention germany accused vietnam kidnapping former executive think juan than berlin last month face trial separate case than cleared dung government official documents reviewed reuters showed dung lost last year battle secure post communist party general secretary vietnam powerful position the post remained hands nguyen hu trong modest public profile the court finished hearing case son monday pleaded court give unjust verdict said could believe prosecuted embezzlement become like goalless person that admitted charge lending violations ocean bank denied graft allegations neither son given chance speak verdict friday amnesty international said april vietnam executed people country except china iran period august june official figures showing executions published local media worldnews