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Vietnam dissident Le Quoc Quan jailed over tax evasion | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
One of Vietnam's best-known dissidents, Le Quoc Quan, has been sentenced to 30 months in jail for tax evasion. | |
Security was tight outside Hanoi People's Court where Quan appeared and where rights activists have protested against his detention. | |
Quan, who denied the charges, was arrested last year, accused of attempting to avoid corporate income tax at a company he founded. | |
His supporters say the trial was politically motivated. | |
Vietnam's communist rulers have opened up the economy, but suppress political opposition and ban private media. All newspapers and television channels are state-run. | |
Threats | Threats |
The trial began and ended on Wednesday in the capital, Hanoi. | |
Hundreds of police and security officers were stationed in the streets around the court on Wednesday. | Hundreds of police and security officers were stationed in the streets around the court on Wednesday. |
Many supporters, including the dissident's brother, gathered at a nearby church before attempting to march on the court. | |
Le Quoc Quan, a 41-year-old Catholic, wrote a popular blog that exposed human rights abuses and other issues not covered by the state media. | Le Quoc Quan, a 41-year-old Catholic, wrote a popular blog that exposed human rights abuses and other issues not covered by the state media. |
He was first detained by the Vietnamese authorities for three months in 2007, after he returned from an American government funded-fellowship in Washington. | He was first detained by the Vietnamese authorities for three months in 2007, after he returned from an American government funded-fellowship in Washington. |
He was beaten up in August 2012 by men he believed were state agents and, a month later, spoke publicly of threats he and his family were receiving from the authorities. | He was beaten up in August 2012 by men he believed were state agents and, a month later, spoke publicly of threats he and his family were receiving from the authorities. |
Human rights groups have accused the Vietnamese government of stepping up a crackdown against bloggers and peaceful activists. | Human rights groups have accused the Vietnamese government of stepping up a crackdown against bloggers and peaceful activists. |
Three bloggers were given jail sentences of between four and 12 years in September 2012 on charges of spreading anti-government propaganda. | Three bloggers were given jail sentences of between four and 12 years in September 2012 on charges of spreading anti-government propaganda. |