Phan Khanh, 24, was arrested and charged in March in Thai Nguyen province over two blogs and two YouTube channels he allegedly ran.
One blog, entitled “Corruption Newspaper,” focused on graft in the state, while a YouTube channel entitled “Democracy TV” pushed an anti-communist message.
Khanh had only “used the internet to propagate pluralism, multiple (political) parties, the politics of ‘non-political’ armies, free elections and expression,” defence lawyer Ha Son said after the court delivered its verdict.
He said that the actions had been deemed to be anti-state propaganda by the court.
Khanh acknowledged his actions and said it was the result of his personal ideological journey, said Son.
He also admitted to having contacts with the Viet Tan, a self-described political party in exile based in California.
The court reached a verdict after nearly four hours.
“The courts in Vietnam do not operate and comply with the laws independently,” Son told dpa before the trial opened.
Family members told dpa that they had been barred access to the trial.
“There are 13 people from my family seeking to attend the trial, but the court only allowed my father to attend,” Khanh’s sister Phan Trang said.
Dozens of police tried to prevent people from gathering outside the court.
Vietnam, which is a single-party communist state, bans dissent; the country has witnessed a heightened crackdown against dissidents in recent months.
At least 13 dissidents have been arrested, charged or convicted of anti-state crimes since June.
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