Le Chi Quang was sentenced to four years in jail, followed by three years of house arrest, for 'opposing the socialist republic of Vietnam', under Article 88 of the country's penal code.
However, at his trial he appeared to be ill. His family claim he has kidney problems which prison officials have refused to treat.
RSF Secretary General, Robert Ménard, said in his letter to Justice Minister Uong Chu Luu: "Even if your government persists in abusing the basic rights of its citizens, we appeal to you to free Le Chi Quang because he is seriously ill."
Ménard noted that Le Chi Quang had simply been exercising his right to free expression, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Vietnam has ratified.
Quang was given no right to a defence during his trial, which only lasted three hours. Foreign reporters were barred from the courtroom. Only his relatives were allowed to be present. His mother said he had admitted the facts of the case but rejected the accusations against him. She said an appeal would be filed against the verdict. Nearly 100 people, including dissidents, gathered outside the courthouse in protest and one of them was reportedly arrested.
Two other cyber-dissidents are imprisoned in Vietnam. Pham Hong Son was arrested in March for translating and posting an article on the Internet entitled 'What is Democracy?' Nguyen Vu Binh, who wrote for the magazine Tap Chi Cong San, was also arrested in September for posting other 'offensive' material on the web.
Sources: Please click here and here
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