Vu Quang Thuan, 52, from the northern province of Thai Binh wassentenced to 8 years in prison, while Nguyen Van Dien, 35, from the northernprovince of Yen Bai was given six years and six months, and Tran Hoang Phuc, 24,from Ho Chi Minh City got six years in jail under Article 88, clause 1, countsa and c of the Criminal Code 1999.
After serving their jail terms, Thuan will be put undersurveillance for 5 years while Dien and Phuc will be monitored for 4 years.
According to the indictment, the Hanoi police on March 1wasrequested by the municipal Department of Information and Communications toinvestigate the publishing of videoclips that distorted, slandered and damaged the prestige of organisations and honourand dignity of individuals on Facebook pages under the names of “Vu QuangThuan” and “Nguyen Van Dien”.
On March 2, the Hanoi police made an urgent search of arented home of Thuan and Dien in O Cho Dua ward, Dong Da district and seized manyobjects and documents related to the filming and distribution of anti-Stateclips.
Further investigation revealed that Phuc had assisted Thuanand Dien in making and posting the clips on the internet.
The procuracy agency said from October 2016 to early March2017, Thuan and Dien produced and uploaded 17 clips on the internet, stored documentsthat incited anti-State sentiments, defamed the administration, spreading distortedand fabricated information on the Party leadership.
Based on the content of the video clips, seized exhibits anddocuments, statements of the defendants and witnesses, assessments and publicdebate at court, the judging council concluded that the acts by the threedefendants constituted the crime of anti-State propaganda in line with under Article88, clause 1, counts a and c of the Criminal Code 1999.
Thuan was defined as the main instigator while Dien and Phucwere his accomplices.
During the trial, the defendants admitted to their acts butrefused to acknowledge their crime. -VNA