Outspoken Priest Arrested as Agitator
Authorities arrested an outspoken Roman Catholic priest, accusing him of fomenting unrest against the Vietnamese government, the Foreign Ministry said.
The Rev. Nguyen Van Ly was detained for failing to obey surveillance rules and agitating followers to cause public disorder, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh said in a statement.
Earlier, a police officer said Ly was taken into custody before dawn at his parish home in Phu An, near the central city of Hue.
“He was arrested for spreading propaganda against the government,” said Nguyen Van Quang of the Phu An commune police.
The propaganda charges carry penalties of 10 to 12 years in prison.
The arrest came amid growing criticism of Hanoi for persecution of religious groups.
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