Image copyright Facebook/Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh
One of Vietnam's most prominent bloggers has gone on trial accused of propaganda against the state.
Known as Mother Mushroom, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh has become an icon for the country's dissident community.
Rights groups have criticised the charges against her as "outrageous" and are demanding her immediate release.
Vietnam's one-party communist regime frequently jails political dissidents. Ms Nguyen faces up to 12 years in prison.
She has been detained since October last year when she visited a fellow activist in prison.
Who is Mother Mushroom?
Ms Nguyen, 38, started a blog in 2006, raising awareness of social injustice and pointing out political and environmental concerns.
With the growing importance of social media, the internet has become a vital platform for dissidents in a country which tightly controls its media.
Her unusual blogger name is based on the nickname "mushroom" for her youngest daughter.
One of the biggest cases she drew attention to has been the environmental damage caused by a bauxite mine in the central highland area.
Image copyright Facebook/Nguyen Ngoc Nhu QuynhMs Nguyen also co-founded the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, an independent writers' association.
In 2015, she received an award from the Sweden-based Civil Rights Defenders and earlier this year she was awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the US State Department.
She was unable to attend the ceremony because of her detention.
What has been the international reaction?
Given her prominence domestically as well as abroad, her case has attracted a lot of attention.
The day before her trial, Human Rights Watch called on Vietnam to drop all charges against her.
Image copyright Facebook/Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh"The scandal here is not what Mother Mushroom said, but Hanoi's stubborn refusal to repeal draconian, rights-abusing laws that punish peaceful dissent and tarnish Vietnam's international reputation," the group said in a statement.
What will be the fallout from the trial?
The arrest of activists and dissident bloggers is not unusual in Vietnam but this case has struck a particular nerve with people because of Ms Nguyen's popularity.
After her arrest, more than 1,000 people including bloggers, activists and lawyers signed a petition asking for her release.
Since her detention, she has not been not allowed to see visitors and only met her lawyer nine days before the trial.
According to the BBC's Vietnamese Service, Ms Nguyen's mother was only allowed to visit her on Wednesday and for about five minutes.
Mother Mushroom faces between three and 12 years in prison, and a guilty verdict is expected to lead an outcry in the online dissident community.
Critics accuse the government of using the trial to intimidate other activists but there are also hopes that it will draw more widespread attention to the harsh treatment of those who speak out.
from BBC News - World http://ift.tt/2t3f58i
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