A Vietnamese doctor sentenced to 13 years' detention for posting a US essay on democracy on the Internet is expected to appeal at a hearing next week, a courtofficial said today.
Mr Pham Hong Son (35) was found guilty of espionage on June 18th in a case that drew condemnation from Western governments and human rights groups who viewed it as a fresh sign of intolerance of political dissent in the communist country.
An official of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Hanoi toldReuters that Mr Son's hearing was scheduled for August 26th but gave no details.
Mr Son was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of house arrest after a brief trial. Journalists and diplomats were barred from the hearing.
He was accused of translating into Vietnamese and postingon the Internet an article titled "What is Democracy?" from the US State Department's website and contacting "politicalopportunists" in Vietnam and abroad.
Human rights groups say five Vietnamese have been punishedfor expressing dissent on the Internet.