New trials coming up

Vietnam News Agency announced yesterday two more trials for dissidents, all to be charged with spreading propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, a violation of Article 88 of Vietnam's Criminal Code.

The first trial, to take place on May 10, involves three defendants: Le
Nguyen Sang, 48; Huynh Nguyen Dao, 39; and Nguyen Bac Truyen, 39. They are accused of meeting in 2004 with Vietnamese American Do Thanh Cong (alias Do Cong Thanh), joining the People's Democratic Party, and distributing leaflets "that contained highly distorted information against Vietnam's State and Party." Thanh was expelled from the country in 2006.

The second trial will take place on May 15 for defendant Tran Quoc Hien, 42, who "will be prosecuted on charges of spreading propaganda against the State of Vietnam and disrupting security under the Penal Code of 1999, Articles 88 and 89." He is accused of having "joined reactionary organizations in 2006 through the Internet including the so-called 8406 bloc and acted under their instructions to call for pluralism and sabotage the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

Earlier reports mentioned also the upcoming trial on May 11 of Nguyen Van Dai, 38, head of the Thien An Lawyers’ Office, and Le Thi Cong Nhan, 28, who are accused of violating Section 1, Article 88 of the Criminal Code, by spreading anti-government propaganda and by possessing "many documents intended to undermine the State, distort guidelines, policies and laws of the State and Communist Party of Viet Nam and sabotage the upcoming National Assembly election."

Source: Vietnam News Agency May 3; Vietnam News Service April 27.