Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn, 63, at the trial by the People's Court of Đắk Lắk Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐẮK LẮK — The People's Court of Đắk Lắk Province on Thursday handed down a sentence of 8 years and 6 months in prison to a local man for "making, distributing, or disseminating information aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam".

According to the indictment delivered at the first-instance trial, Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn, 63, residing in Buôn Hồ Ward, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1992 by the People’s Court of then Quảng Nam Province (now the People’s Court of Đà Nẵng City) for conducting propaganda against the socialist regime. He completed his prison term on October 17, 2002, and was subsequently placed under local probationary supervision.

After his release, Tuấn continued colluding with several overseas dissident individuals and organisations, abusing issues related to democracy and human rights to conduct propaganda aimed at sabotaging the Party and the State.

Authorities determined that Tuấn had authored and sent many articles containing distorted and defamatory content that denied the leadership role of the Communist Party of Việt Nam to overseas reactionary organisations, negatively affecting political security, public order and social safety.

From May to September 2025, he managed and used the Facebook account under his own name “Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn” to livestream videos and post articles with anti-Party and -State content, attracting a large number of interactions and comments.

The provincial police investigated and extracted 11 livestreamed videos and 21 posts published by the Facebook account “Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn”. These were found to contain distorted content that defamed the people’s administration, spread false information, caused public confusion, and adversely impacted political security, public order and social safetu in the locality.

Based on the documents, evidence and the defendant's statements at the trial, the jury decided to sentence Tuấn to 8 years and 6 months in prison for the offence of "making, distributing, or disseminating information aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam" under Article 117 of the Penal Code. — VNA/VNS