Vietnam jails 6 activists for demanding democracy
Hanoi, April 6: Six human rights activists were sentenced to harsh prison terms in Vietnam after being convicted of attempting to overthrow the government by advocating a multiparty democracy.
Prominent human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai received the most severe penalty of 15 years in prison and five years of house arrest at the oneday trial Thursday, said his lawyer Nguyen Van Mieng. The others received sentences from seven to 12 years.
They were charged with affiliating with a group called Brotherhood for Democracy, whose purpose was to change the leadership of the Communist Party and build a multiparty system.
“The sentences are too harsh to the defendants,” Mieng said. “They fought for human rights, they fought for the rights of multi- party system ... Which are recognised achievements of mankind, but the court sees it as serious ( threat) to the regime.”
Five of the defendants including Dai maintained they were innocent because what they did was right, Mieng said. One defendant confessed to the crime and got the most lenient sentence, he added. “The purpose of the group is to change the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, build a multiparty system,” a report said.