Hanoi  - A Vietnamese democracy activist was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of probation Wednesday for hanging a banner on an overpass in Hanoi protesting government policies and advocating multiparty democracy.

Vu Van Hung, a 43-year-old high school teacher, acknowledged violating Article 88 of Vietnam's legal code, which forbids "spreading propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

Hung's was one of nine trials of bloggers and democracy activists taking place this week in Hanoi and Haiphong. On Tuesday in Hanoi, poet Tran Duc Thach, 57, was sentenced to three years' prison and three years' probation, also for violating Article 88.

During a two-hour trial Hung, appearing chastened in blue prison clothes and white plastic slippers and flanked at all times by uniformed police, admitted that he had violated the law and apologized.

Hung said that at the time he "believed his actions were a sincere attempt to lead the country in the right direction," but that in retrospect he realized he was "wrong."

In August 2008, Hung suspended a banner from an overpass over a main Hanoi road protesting corruption and high inflation, calling for the country to defend its territorial claims in the South China Sea against China, and demanding multiparty democratic elections.

Prosecutors said Hung's banner contradicted Article 4 of Vietnam's constitution, which establishes that the Communist Party is the country's leading political institution. They said he had received over 2,000 dollars from "reactionary" political organizations for writing articles criticizing the government, but presented no evidence for this charge.

Hung's defence lawyer objected to the charge of receiving money for articles, which he said had not appeared in the indictment and had caught the defence by surprise. No witnesses appeared in Hung's defence.

Several other democracy activists and their relatives stood across the street from the court during the trial to show support for Hung. Some family members of other democracy activists scheduled to stand trial complained they had not been notified in advance of the trial dates, as is normal. (dpa)