Songwriters sent to jail

A VIETNAMESE court has sentenced two songwriters to pri­son for posting songs online critical of the government.

Vo Minh Tri, known as Viet Khang, and Tran Vu Anh Binh were convicted of spreading propaganda against the state and jailed for four and six years respectively.

The two posted their songs on a website operated by an overseas Vietnamese opposition group.

They were sentenced after a five-hour trial yesterday in southern Ho Chi Minh City. Inter­national rights groups have condemned the trial and called for their immediate release.