Nguyen Van Ngoc, 47, and Truong Minh Nguyet, 61, were sentenced to four years’ in prison, while their accomplice, Trinh Quoc Thao, 51, was given a two-year sentence.

They were accused of “abusing democracy and freedom to infringe on the state interests, the legitimate rights and interests of organisations and citizens” under Article 258 of the Criminal Code.

According to an indictment released by the Dong Nai Province People’s Procuracy, the accused had disseminated anti-state information in collaboration with Nguyen Trung Linh in Hanoi and some elements in exile from November 2006 to June 2007.

In October 2006, Nguyet gave Ngoc a document containing a letter calling for the establishment of an organisation called the “Democratic Alliance.”

One month later, after learning that Linh was one of the founders of a number of anti-state organisations, including the so-called “Patriotic Vietnamese,” Ngoc asked Thao to contact Linh with the aim of joining Linh’s activities.

Furthermore, Nguyet functioned as deputy head of a reactionary organisation, led by Huynh Van Ba in the Mekong delta province of Bac Lieu. The organisation asked for assistance from anti-state elements such as Nguyen Tuong Ba in the US and Nguyen Van Ly and Thich Quang Do in Vietnam .

Ngoc, Thao and Nguyet were arrested on March 1, March 3 and June 4, 2007, respectively.

Because they showed repentance, Ngoc, Thao and Nguyet enjoyed the state’s lenient policy and got off with lighter punishments.