The Vietnamese government has jailed two song writers for criticising government policy in their songs.
Tran Vu Anh Binh and Vo Minh Tri were jailed for six and four years respectively by a court in Ho Chi Minh City.
Their songs criticised China over the South China Sea dispute and Vietnam’s handling of the crisis.
Amnesty International called for the release of the musicians in a statement released on Monday.
Amnesty’s Vietnam researcher, Rupert Abbott, said the men were “prisoners of conscience”.
"This is a ludicrous way to treat people just for writing songs,
''These men are prisoners of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression through their songs and non-violent activities, and should be freed,
''There is a very disturbing trend of repression against those who peacefully voice opinions the Vietnamese authorities do not like."
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