Vietnam jails two more pro-democracy activists

May 11, 2007, 11:24 GMT

Hanoi - Two prominent Vietnamese human-rights lawyers were sentenced to prison Friday, drawing the ire of the international community.

Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan were found guilty by a People's Court in Hanoi of disseminating propaganda harmful to the state.

Both defendants were members of political groups that Vietnam, a one-party state, has banned.

Dai was given a five-year sentence with an additional four years of house arrest once he finishes his prison term. Nhan received a four-year term in prison and three years of house arrest.

Dai and Nhan told the presiding judge that they rejected the accusations made against them. Before the court adjourned to consider the verdict, Nhan shouted, 'I object,' then she broke down in tears.

The proceedings were observed by the press and representatives of several embassies via closed-circuit television in an adjacent room in the courthouse. Neither the public nor the defendants' families were allowed to attend.

Some of the international observers who watched the trial called the sentences harsh.

'The evidence that was shown during the trial was weak, and the verdict that has been pronounced seems disproportionate in regards to the accusation and the evidence that was given,' said a diplomat from an EU country who did not wish to be named. 'We consider that people should not be condemned for just peacefully expressing their views.'

A representative from the US embassy said Friday's ruling was deeply troubling.

'This trial comes in the wake of the disturbing increase in the harassment, detention, arrests and convictions of individuals peacefully exercising their legitimate rights,' said Ralph W Falzone, second secretary at the US embassy in Hanoi. 'We call on the government of Vietnam to release these individuals and other political prisoners.'

Friday's verdicts came just a day after three pro-democracy activists in Ho Chi Minh City were found guilty of the same charges.

A third dissident trial was scheduled for Tuesday. Tran Quoc Hien is charged with spreading disinformation as well as threatening public security. The latter charge carries a possible 15-year prison sentence.

Human-rights groups accused Vietnam of stepping up its persecution of pro-democracy activists now that the country is no longer trying to win concessions from the international community.

Amnesty International released a statement calling the recent crackdown 'a politically motivated campaign by authorities to silence dissenting voices.'

The London-based group said more than 20 dissidents have been arrested since Vietnam won approval to join the World Trade Organization in November.