HANOI: A court in Vietnam on Monday sentenced an aquaculture farmer to seven years in prison after finding him guilty of spreading “anti-state propaganda” on Facebook , state media reported.
Nguyen Tri Gioan, 42, was convicted of “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the state” at a one-day trial in the central province of Khanh Hoa, the official Vietnam News Agency said.
Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness to social change, Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and tolerates little criticism.
Gioan was accused of posting poems and images on his Facebook accounts to “distort, slander and defame the leadership of the (Vietnam Communist) party, the state and leader Ho Chi Minh,” the report cited the indictment as saying.
Reuters could not immediately reach his lawyer for comment. There was no immediate response from Facebook.
The report said Gioan pleaded guilty at the trial. Once the jail term is over, he will be placed under house arrest for three years, it said.
Vietnam jails Facebook user for 7 years for anti-state posts
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Vietnam jails Facebook user for 7 years for anti-state posts
- A court in vietnam sentenced an aquaculture farmer to seven years in prison after finding him guilty of spreading “anti-state propaganda” on Facebook
Tunisian journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak freed after sentence cut
- The court cut her sentence from five years to two, making her eligible for immediate release, her brother told Reuters
TUNIS: A Tunisian appeal court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak, jailed since 2023 in a conspiracy case, after reducing her prison sentence, her family said.
The court cut her sentence from five years to two, making her eligible for immediate release, her brother told Reuters.
She was convicted in the so-called “Instalingo” case, which involved politicians, media figures and other defendants accused of conspiracy and financial crimes. BelHajj Mubarak denied the charges.
“Chatha is free and leaving prison,” her brother, Amen BelHajj Mubarak, said.
He said her health had severely deteriorated during her time in prison. She suffered serious complications, including significant hearing loss, and was diagnosed with cancer in detention, he added.
Tunisian authorities have said the case stems from judicial investigations into alleged financial and security-related offenses, and have rejected accusations by opposition groups that the prosecutions were politically motivated.
Tunisian prosecutors are pursuing a number of high-profile conspiracy cases involving politicians, journalists and activists. Several opposition leaders have received lengthy prison terms.
