Prominent Vietnamese blogger, aide arrested

Ho Chi Minh City, May 6 (IANS/EFE) A prominent Vietnamese blogger and his assistant were arrested this week for publishing articles critical of the government, signalling another attack on free speech in the country, local media reported Tuesday.

Ngueyn Huu vinh, 58, has been charged with posting articles "with bad content and incorrect information that reduces prestige and trust in state agencies", the ministry of public security said in a statement.

Vinh, the founder and editor of Basam blog, was arrested along with his assistant Nguyen Minh Thuy, 34, in Hanoi.

The International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR) and Human Rights Commission in Vietnam in March filed a petition to release 212 political prisoners detained by the government.

"Vietnam has the maximum number of political prisoners in southeast Asia. Something deplorable for a country which is currently a part of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights," Karim Lahidji, the president of FIDH, said.

--IANS/EFE

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