Ho Chi Minh City

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - Vietnam convicted four democracy activists of trying to overthrow the communist government on Wednesday and sentenced them to up to 16 years in prison for promoting multiparty democracy.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - A human rights lawyer facing a possible death sentence testified Wednesday that he broke Vietnam's subversion law, saying he had been influenced by Western ideas about democracy and freedom while studying in the United States.

THAI BINH, Vietnam - A Vietnamese court convicted a former army officer who had pressed for democratic reforms of subversion Monday and sentenced him to 5.5 years in prison as Vietnam stepped up its efforts to crack down on dissent.