Former Quang Tri Official Sentenced to 5 Years for Land Abuse

Former deputy head of Hướng Hóa district in Quảng Trị province, Lê Quang Thuận, was sentenced by the Quảng Trị Provincial People's Court to five years' imprisonment for abusing his position and causing state losses exceeding 9 trillion VND. Eleven other former officials from the district's People’s Committee, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the land registration office also received prison terms ranging from three and a half to five years, with several sentences suspended or converted to non-custodial reform.

The convictions stem from irregularities in land management, including the issuance of land‑use certificates without proper verification and the illegal conversion of land use purpose. These actions affected dozens of parcels, resulting in state revenue losses of billions of VND. All defendants admitted the wrongdoing and expressed remorse during the trial held on 31 July 2026, with sentencing announced on 1 August 2026.