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The People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City sentenced three Christian bloggers on Monday in a case that has drawn international criticism.
A report by UCA News said the bloggers were charged with spreading anti-government propaganda under Article 88 of the country’s criminal code.
The three are founding members of the Free Journalist Club, an organization not recognized as an official body by the government.
Nguyen Van Hai and Marie Ta Phong Tan received sentences of 12 years and 10 years, respectively, with five additional years of house arrest, while Phan Thanh Hai received a four-year sentence and three years of house arrest, the report said.
State media reports said Phan Thanh Hai had “pleaded guilty and asked for a lenient sentence,” while the two other defendants “obstinately” denied the charges against them.
The United States embassy in Hanoi expressed concern over the decision, saying the decision is “inconsistent with Vietnam’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights relating to freedom of expression and due process.”
Local blogs reported that an estimated 400 security officials blocked access to the court and confiscated cameras and mobile phones from bystanders who attempted to take photos.
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