Defendants Lê Trung Khoa (left) and Nguyễn Văn Đài were trialled in absentia before the Hà Nội People's Court during their trial at the end of 2025. Authorities have questioned, warned or sanctioned more than 350 people for interacting with social media accounts linked to the two men. — Photo courtesy of the police

HCM CITY — Authorities in at least five provinces and cities have summoned, warned or sanctioned more than 350 people for interacting with social media accounts linked to convicted anti-state propagandists Lê Trung Khoa and Nguyễn Văn Đài.

The latest action was announced on Thursday by the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Division of Quảng Ngãi Province Police, which said it had coordinated with local police units to summon, warn and sanction 63 people for commenting on, sharing or otherwise interacting with content posted through social media pages, channels and groups associated with Lê Trung Khoa.

According to the police, authorities identified multiple social media accounts in the province that had frequently followed and engaged with content deemed to contain fabricated and distorted information disseminated by Lê Trung Khoa.

Most of those involved told investigators that they had unintentionally contributed to spreading the content due to limited awareness and inadequate skills in verifying information online, police said.

Among the 63 individuals summoned in Quảng Ngãi, authorities issued warnings and educational measures to 61 people and imposed administrative fines totalling VNĐ12.5 million (US$480) on two others.

The individuals subsequently removed their comments, left online groups containing harmful content and signed commitments not to repeat the violations.

Similar measures have been taken in four other localities.

In June, police in Hà Tĩnh Province summoned and warned 135 people for interacting with social media accounts linked to Lê Trung Khoa and Nguyễn Văn Đài.

In Đà Nẵng, authorities said they had summoned and warned 79 people between June 10 and June 20, while continuing to investigate more than 20 additional cases.

Earlier, police in Huế City summoned 45 people in May for regularly reacting to, commenting on or sharing content described by authorities as fabricated and distorted.

During the same period, police in Lai Châu Province summoned 10 people for similar conduct.

As of early July, authorities in Quảng Ngãi, Hà Tĩnh, Đà Nẵng, Huế, and Lai Châu had collectively summoned, warned or sanctioned more than 350 people for interacting with social media accounts linked to the two men.

Lê Trung Khoa, 54, from Thanh Hóa Province, and Nguyễn Văn Đài, 56, from Hưng Yên Province, were each sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison by the Hà Nội People's Court at the end of last year.

They were convicted under Article 117 of the Penal Code for "making, storing, distributing or disseminating information and materials aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam."

Authorities have urged citizens to obtain information only from official sources and refrain from sharing content that violates the law.

Việt Nam has over the years intensified efforts to combat what authorities describe as "false, distorted and anti-state information" disseminated through social media platforms, while continuing to promote public awareness of online safety and information verification. — VNS