Hanoi-based artists under investigations over alleged sexual assaults in Spain

Two Vietnamese citizens, who are Hanoi-based artists, are under investigations in Spain for accusation of sexual abuse of adolescents and privacy infringement.

According to the Embassy of Vietnam in Spain, police in the Spanish island of Mallorca on June 25 announced that they arrested two Vietnamese nations for allegation of “sexual abuse of teenagers” and “privacy infringement.”

Currently, the pair is released on bail and waiting for Spanish authorities’ decisions. 

Guardia Civil in Andratx. File photo

After learning about the case, the embassy has taken citizen protection measures and worked with local authorities to get updated on the citizens’ situation and ensure that Vietnamese citizens are well protected. 

Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the embassy to keep an eye on the case to ensure citizen protection measures fully observed in accordance with Vietnam’s and the host country’s law.  

So far, the name of the two citizens remained undisclosed. 

News on the case was released few days ago by Spanish media. On June 29,  Majorca Daily Bulletin reported that two Vietnamese artists were arrested by the Guardia Civil on Saturday [June 25], for being accused of having raped a 17-year-old British girl.

The two, “an actor and a musician aged 37 and 42”, appeared in court on June 28. They were released on charges, but their passports were withdrawn. 

The British girl gave a statement to the court after what she had told Guardia Civil officers was verified. She and her family left Mallorca later the day.

The two men were staying at a hotel in Sant Elm while the girl and her family were at a different hotel. The trio met at a restaurant on Friday night. After a conversation and drinking together, they went to the beach, where they began to get intimate. They then went to the hotel room of one of the men, which is where the alleged rape took place. The girl told officers that the two men made her take a shower to remove any bodily fluid, Majorca Daily Bulletin reported. 

The girl told her aunt what had happened and Guardia Civil patrol was taken while the girl was examined later at Son Espases Hospital.

Pham Cao Thai, Chief of the Office of Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the ministry has heard of the case involving in the two artists but no final decisions have been made. The ministry will elaborate more on the case when it gets sufficient information.