HANOI, Jan 22 (Reuters) - A court in southern Vietnam has jailed a leader of a Buddhist sect for five years for violating a restriction order and "abusing democratic rights," a court official said on Monday. Ha Hai, secretary-general of the Hoa Hao sect, was sentenced by the court in Cho Moi district of An Giang province on January 16, said the official, who declined to be identified. He said Ha Hai had until January 31 to lodge an appeal.
"The court sentenced Ha Hai to five years imprisonment on two charges: of violating surveillance orders made by local authorities and abusing democratic rights to encroach on state interests," the official said. He said the surveillance order had restricted Ha Hai from moving outside a certain area.
A police officer in the neighbouring province of Can Tho, meanwhile, denied an allegation by the Maryland-based Overseas Hoa Hao Buddhist Association that the deputy chairman of the group, Nguyen Van Dien, had been arrested on Sunday.
"It"s wrong information, we did not arrest anybody," said the officer in Can Tho"s Thot Not district.
The U.S.-based group described Ha Hai and Dien as key officials working with the church"s leader Le Quang Liem, who it forecast would be the next group member arrested. The U.S.-based group warned in a statement that Liem"s arrest would spark big protests by Hoa Hao followers. The Hoa Hao, who claim four million adherents in communist-ruled Vietnam, have long complained of persecution stemming from their previous armed opposition to communism during the Vietnam War.
Last month Hanoi authorities said Ha Hai"s health was "still normal," despite a claim from supporters that he had been on hunger strike for 32 days. In September, five Hoa Hao members were sentenced to between one and three years in jail on charges of slandering the government and "abusing democratic rights." Their church said they had complained of abuses of power.
During one of his last overseas trips as U.S. president, former President Bill Clinton urged Hanoi in November to show greater religious tolerance. Hanoi routinely denies restricting religious and other rights.