U.S. State Dept calls on Vietnam to release 'prisoners of conscience'

The U.S. State Department on Friday called on Vietnam to release all "prisoners of conscience" immediately, one day after a Vietnamese court conducted a one-day trial of an activist and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

Le Dinh Luong, 53, was arrested last year after encouraging people to boycott a National Assembly election, writing Facebook posts that expressed views against the party and state, and inciting protests against a Taiwanese steel firm, according to the communist-party-run newspaper Nghe An. He had been charged with attempting to overthrow the state.

Luong's lawyer said he will appeal the verdict.

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