Radio Free Asia, 2013-09-11
A court in Vietnam’s south-central coastal province of Phu Yen has sentenced an online activist to 15 years in prison on charges of plotting to overthrow the country’s one-party communist government, sources said today.
The sentence, to be followed by five years of probation, was handed down to Ngo Hao, a former soldier, on Wednesday in accordance with Article 79 of Vietnam’s penal code, which forbids “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration.”
Hao, aged about 65, was arrested on Feb. 8 and charged only because of his online writings on behalf of other dissidents, his son Ngo Minh Tam told RFA’s Vietnamese Service today.
“He has always argued that his activities were not wrong, and that the only thing ‘wrong’ is that they have not been accepted by the government,” Tam said.
“But whenever he opened his mouth to say something, they would not let him speak,” he said.
Hao, who was flanked in court by two policemen, showed signs of exhaustion throughout the morning-long trial, Tam said.
“My father’s health is not good,” he said, adding, “From 7:30 when the trial started until 9:30 he was so tired that the court had to adjourn for 20 minutes.”
“At 11:30, he was tired again, but they said he had to remain until the verdict was delivered.”
Read more: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/jailed-09112013161129.html
