United Nations demands halt to imminent Vietnam execution

Nguyen Van Chuong’s father displays pictures of the inmate during an interview in Hai Duong in 2018. - AFP

GENEVA/HANOI (AFP): The United Nations called on Vietnamese authorities Friday to immediately halt the looming execution of a man, whose murder conviction came after allegations of torture and fair trial violations.

The UN human rights office expressed alarm at reports that the execution of Nguyen Van Chuong, who has maintained his innocence in the murder 16 years ago of a police officer, was "imminent".