Popular Blogger Jailed

POPULAR BLOGGER JAILED ON ANTI-STATE CHARGES

A popular blogger and journalist of Vietnamese was jailed for two years on Tuesday for posting critical articles of the Communist government and leaders.

Mr. Truong Duy was found guilty of abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the state at a half day trial in his native city of Danang on the central coast. The broad anti-state charges can carry a maximum of seven years in jail.  

He strongly denied the charge, claiming that he is innocent and was a journalist working for several state-run papers before he quit and set up the popular blog. Mr. Truong ‘s posts frequently dealt with highly sensitive political issues and offered alternative commentary to the staid official press.

He was taken into police custody in May that year and his blog was shut down. His articles were not true and defamed leaders of the party and state, creating a one-sided pessimistic viewpoint. Mr. Truong said he should have been appreciated for being a good citizen as it is normal to criticize party and state leaders. On Monday New York based Human Rights Watch called on the government to let Mr. Truong walk free, saying he could not be jailed merely for disagreeing with the government and the party.

Reporters without Borders said Vietnam was second only to China in the number of bloggers it detained, with at least 34 currently behind bars. In February the country was criticized at the UN Human Right Council in Geneva during its periodic review over its treatment of regime critics. Vietnam still harasses and detains those who exercise universal rights and freedom such as freedom of expression and association. On the other hand, US representative Peter Mulrean told the assembly calling on the country to release all political prisoners.