British pair face death penalty

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Two British citizens are facing the death penalty in Vietnam after being accused of smuggling drugs.

Le Manh Luong and Tran Thi Hien are also both accused of forging documents while Mr Luong is also charged with smuggling weapons.

The Foreign Office said the British vice-consul is attending the trial.

Miss Hien has been given a replacement lawyer after her original choice was placed under house arrest for holding membership to a banned political party.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Miss Hien's original lawyer is under house arrest and we are very disappointed because it does hinder her ability to prepare and attend the trial to represent Miss Hien.

"The ambassador has raised concerns with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"However, Miss Hien is now being represented by a replacement lawyer and she is satisfied with that."

The trial began on Tuesday and is being heard in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Binh.

According to local newspaper reports Mr Luong is aged 46 and Miss Hien, reported to be his sister-in-law, is 47.

Catherine Wolthuizen of Fair Trials Abroad said one of its lawyers was attempting to contact the British embassy in Hanoi to offer assistance to Miss Hien's new lawyer.

The Vietnamese authorities have so far declined to comment on the case.