The People's Court of Ha Tinh province handed down a 6-year prison sentence and two years' probation to a local man for making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents or materials aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, at a first-instance trial on August 26.

According to the indictment of the provincial People's Procuracy, Phan Dinh Sang, 57, a native of Huong Long commune, Huong Khe district, created and managed five Facebook accounts to engage with reactionary groups and forums online between 2016 and 2023. Driven by discontent with the regime while living and working in Laos, he posted, shared and disseminated numerous articles, images, and videos that distorted historical facts and defamed the administration.

Sang was prosecuted and placed under detention on March 12, 2024 by the Investigation Security Agency under the provincial Department of Public Security.

He was previously sentenced to four years in prison by the People's Court of Gia Lai province for embezzlement of assets at the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Bank’s branch in Chu Pah district.