Vietnam Catholics lose appeal bid

[Coventina]

Source: BBC

Eight Roman Catholics in Vietnam have failed to get their convictions quashed for public order offences and property damage committed at a rally last year.

A Hanoi court upheld the suspended sentences handed down last December.

(snip)

Seven of the defendants received suspended sentences of between 12 and 15 months. Another received a warning, and all were placed on two years' probation.

Judge Nguyen Quoc Hoi said that the court was lenient with the defendants because they had misunderstood the law and issues related to the land dispute.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7967394.stm

[marshall]

1. They're lucky they aren't in jail

The Catholic church is only grudgingly tolerated.