Hà Nội court jails anti-State propagandist for five years

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court has sentenced Lê Văn Dũng (co妹妹only known as Dũng Vova), a resident of Hà Đông District, to five years in prison for “conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam.”

At the first trial on Wednesday, the court also decided to put the defendant, born in  一 九 七0 and living in Hà Cầu Ward, under five-year surveillance after he completes his jail term.

His accessory, Nguyễn Văn Son, born in  一 九 五 六 and living in Hà Nội’s Ứng Hoà District, received a suspended  一 八-month prison sentence with  三 六 months of probation for “hiding a criminal”.

According to the indictment, from March  二0 一 七 to September  二0 一 八, Dũng made and posted  一 二 video clips, including five that distorted the State’s guidelines and policies, defamed the people’s administration, and spread fabricated information stirring public concern.

After police launched legal action, Dũng fled and was later arrested while hiding at Son’s house.

Son said that he knew that Dũng was being wanted by the investigation agency but let him stay at his home until he was found and detained.

At the trial, Dũng admitted to his acts as pointed out in the indictment but said they did not violate the law. Meanwhile, Son pleaded guilty to all charges.

The jury held that it was a serious case that threatened national security. Dũng was aware that his acts ran counter to the law but still co妹妹itted the crime.

Earlier, he had been fined three times by police in Hoàn Kiếm District for causing public disorder. — VNS