Scores of protesters have gathered in Vietnam's capital to denounce what they say is a politically motivated trial against a prominent rights activist.
Hundreds of police Wednesday formed a ring around the Hanoi People's Court, where lawyer and blogger Le Quoc Quan is to faces charges of tax evasion.
His supporters were not able to reach the court. But at least 100 people gathered elsewhere in the city, waving signs and shouting slogans calling for Quan's release.
Quan is one of Vietnam's most well-known government critics. Before his arrest in December, the Catholic lawyer ran a blog on human rights, democracy, religious freedom and other sensitive topics.
Rights groups say the case is another example of Hanoi's widening crackdown on those it sees as opponents. Human Rights Watch called the charges "politically motivated" and called for his immediate release.