A foreign man has been fined VND200,000 (USD8.69) for harassing a woman while both were in a lift in HCM City.

The incident occurred in July this year, but it was only reported to police in HCM City’s District 2 on November 22.

The man has been fined VND200,000 (USD8.69) for harassing a woman while both were in a lift in HCM City

According to the 36-year-old woman, she met the 44-year-old Estonian man at the lift of an apartment building in District 2 on the evening of July 11. They were acquaintances so they talked to each other in the elevator. However, when the woman was about to leave there, the foreigner suddenly slapped her buttock with his hand. He also used racially-abused the woman.

Returning home, the woman told her husband about the case. He then sent a message to the foreigner to ask for an explanation and apology. But the Estonian man continued using insulting and violent words.

The couple intended to inform the local police, but the owner of the apartment where the foreigner rented persuaded her to forgive him and promised to end his lease in November.

However, the woman and her family were still worried about the possibility of unexpected conflicts with him later so she reported the incident to the police on November 22.

The foreign man has been fined VND200,000 for his “offensive words and actions toward another person” in line with the government’s Decree 167 issued in 2013.

The man pledged to apologise to the woman and her family and would leave the apartment.