HANOI, Vietnam – A court in central Vietnam has sentenced an activist to seven years in prison for producing videos and interviews that instigated anti-government protests, in the authorities' latest crackdown on dissent.
Following a trial Monday that lasted half a day, Nguyen Van Hoa was convicted of spreading anti-state propaganda by the People's Court in Ha Tinh province.
He was also charged with using social media platforms including Facebook to spread documents that defamed the government, the state-run online Ha Tinh newspaper reported. It said Hoa also sent distorting articles to "reactionary" groups in exile for financial support.
Court officials weren't immediately available for comment.
International human rights groups and some Western governments often criticize Vietnam for jailing people for peacefully expressing their views, but Vietnam's government says only lawbreakers are punished.
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