The defendants at the court. - VNA/VNS Photo

GIA LAI - The People’s Court of the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on April 23 announced sentences on a group of individuals engaging in activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration under provisions 1 and 2, Article 109 of the Criminal Code.

The court imposed the harshest sentences of 13 years in prison on Phan Thi Thao, 67, and Ta Van Trieu, 50.

Three other defendants, Tran Thien (52 years old), Vu Dinh Lan (51 years old) and Huynh Thi Khanh Trang (37 years old) were sentenced to 12 years behind bars.

Cao Thi Ngoc Diem, 55, and Tran Hue Chan Vuong, 53, got nine years in jail.

Two defendants, namely Tran Thi Kim Loan, 62 and Tran Tho, 68, were given eight-year imprisonment sentences, while Cao Cuong, 52, was sentenced to four years in prison.

According to the indictment, they joined a reactionary and terrorist organisation called “Chính phủ quốc gia Việt Nam lâm thời” (Interim National Government of Vietnam) led by Đào Minh Quân.

Since 2020, they have been using various websites, such as chinhphuquocgia.com, tcdy.us and vnch3.com, YouTube and Facebook to disseminate the “Hiến pháp Đệ tam Việt Nam Cộng Hòa” (Constitution of the Third Republic of Vietnam), call for and instruct people to conduct a "referendum" and the procedures for registering as members of the organisation.

They also carried out propaganda, enticed people to undermine the country's stability and sustainable development, cause political insecurity, and eventually overthrow the people's administration.

They made full use of social networks and internet messaging applications to collect, propagate, and share unfounded and baseless articles of hostile forces. - VNS