Vietnam Detains Activist Trang for Anti-Government Materials

(Bloomberg) -- Vietnamese blogger and democracy activist Pham Thi Doan Trang, 42, was detained on charges of creating, storing and spreading anti-government documents, the Ministry of Public Security said on its website.

The arrest came a few hours after the annual human rights dialog between the United States and Vietnam, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said in an email statement. The charge against Trang falls under article 117 of the penal code, which provides penalties of up to 20 years in prison, he said.

Her blog, Doan Trang, touches on politically sensitive topics, including the relationship between Vietnam and China and tensions over territorial maritime claims, Robertson said. Police detained Trang in May 2016 as she was traveling to meet with President Barack Obama, who had invited her to a gathering of activists with him during his visit to Hanoi, according to Robertson.

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