The People’s Court of northern Bac Giang province on July 16 tried three persons on the charge of “conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” pursuant to Clause 1, Article 88 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.

The court handed down sentences of five years and a half of imprisonment to Nguyen Kim Nhan; and four years of imprisonment and three-year probation to Dinh Van Nhuong and Do Van Hoa each.

According to the indictment of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Procuracy, due to their personal dissatisfaction, Nhan, Nhuong and Hoa repeatedly lodged complaints for years. In this process, they established contacts with several local people who had anti-State mind and some foreign newspapers and radio stations having viewpoints against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to provide incorrect information, slandering and distorting the Communist Party of Vietnam and the people’s administration.

The three prepared documents, gave interviews, collected and stored documents with contents slandering and smearing Party and State leaders as well as causing division between the people and the Party.

They also incited complainants to gather in crowd, affecting political security and social order and safety.-VNA