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Vietnam detains two for anti-state propaganda

REUTERS/TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 03/23/2017 08:53 GMT + 7

Vietnam has detained two men for posting anti-state comments.

Bui Hieu Vo, 55, and Phan Kim Khanh, 24, were detained for investigation of "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam", the government said on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

The government said Vo posted "fabricated, distorted and defamed information" against the government and incited the use of petrol bombs and acid to attack leaders of the Communist Party, the state and the police..

Khanh managed two blogs, three Facebook pages and two YouTube channels to post "fabricated and distorted" information against Vietnam, the government statement said.

Vietnam last week also called on all companies doing business in the country to stop advertising on YouTube, Facebook and other social media until they had found a way to halt the publication of "toxic" anti-government information.

The government said both worked with the United States-based Viet Tan, or Vietnam Reform Party, which Hanoi has declared a terrorist group, and that any Vietnamese found to be involved with it would be regarded as co-conspirators and punished.