TEHRAN, July 30 -A Vietnam court has convicted 20 people of joining nationwide protests last month against a draft economic law that sparked anger in the communist nation where demonstrations are banned.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -The protests against a proposed bill to grant lengthy leases to foreign investors in special economic zones erupted in several cities across the country, including in some areas where police headquarters were stormed and officers attacked.
Scores were detained after the demonstrations, which were fueled by anti-Chinese sentiment. They included an American citizen convicted of causing public disorder and deported earlier this month.
On Monday, 20 people were found guilty on similar charges in the southern province of Dong Nai and given sentences ranging from 18 months' jail to a 12-month suspended sentence, according to the province's official newspaper.
They were accused of holding up banners, shouting slogans and blocking traffic for hours in the city of Bien Hoa, it said.
"(Their) behavior caused social disorder... and negatively impacted society. Some committed crimes because they were not aware of the laws or were instigated by others," the judge was quoted as saying.
The draft law on special economic zones initially proposed granting 99-year leases to investors in special economic zones, which the government said would create jobs and spur economic growth.
It reduced the length of the leases after online opposition, but this was not enough to quell anger that had been brewing for weeks.
Many against the draft bill accused the government of planning to hand land over to China, even though it was not named in the law.
The June 10 protests drew thousands to the streets and paralyzed several areas, including in the southern hub Ho Chi Minh City where American citizen Will Nguyen was arrested.
Seventeen people have been convicted in separate trials in Binh Thuan province, where demonstrations spun out of control when protesters attacked riot police and damaged government buildings and cars.
Protests are officially banned and are rare in the one-party state. The government has vowed to punish those accused of inciting unrest in the June gatherings.
(Source: AFP)
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