Vietnamese independent journalist Le Van Dung was sentenced to five years in prison by a Hanoi court on March 23 after being charged with conducting propaganda against the communist regime through social media posts. Dung, 51, was convicted of posting 12 videos on social media to defame the Vietnamese government and spread fabricated news to confuse the citizens. Five of the videos reportedly contained anti-state propaganda, according to state-run media. During his trial, Dung admitted to posting the videos on his social media accounts but refused to regard them as illegal acts. His lawyer said that Dung did not plead guilty and will make an appeal against the verdict, Reuters reported. Dung is a construction engineer who has been involved in protests, pro-democracy activism, and human rights advocacy since 2011. He founded the Chan Hung TV YouTube channel, which covers a wide range of social and political issues in Vietnam. …