HANOI, Oct 14: Vietnam on Tuesday put on trial two reporters who helped expose a major state corruption scandal, in a case seen as a test on the limits of media freedom in the communist country.

The two newspaper journalists each face up to seven years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state” in the Hanoi People’s Court hearing where a verdict was expected on Wednesday.

They helped expose a major graft scandal in a transport ministry unit, known as PMU 18, where officials embezzled development funds meant for roads and bridges and bet much of it on European football.

The aggressive reporting in a country where all media, and the courts, remain under the control of the one-party state was praised by foreign observers and spurred state promises of a major anti-graft drive.

The scandal led to the resignation in 2006 of then transport minister Dao Dinh Binh and the arrest of his deputy, Nguyen Viet Tien, while eight PMU 18 officials were jailed last year for illegal gambling and corruption.

The case, however, took an unexpected turn when the deputy minister was freed from detention last October and cleared of all charges in March.

In May police arrested the two journalists — Nguyen Van Hai, 33, of the Tuoi Tre (Youth) daily, and Nguyen Viet Chien, 56, of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper — initially accusing them of “abuse of power.” While Hai on Tuesday admitted to some unintended errors in his reporting and once broke down in tears, Chien launched into a spirited defence, saying he was a principled reporter motivated by the desire “to fight corruption.”

On trial with them were two senior police officers who denied providing the reporters information — General Pham Xuan Quac, 62, and Senior Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Van Huynh, 50, who also face up to seven years in jail.

Prosecutors demanded journalist Chien and Lieutenant Colonel Huynh be jailed for 24 to 30 months each, and that the two others undergo re-education without detention — Colonel Quac for two years, and Hai for 18 to 24 months.

One prosecutor, while cross-examining Chien, said all interviews with the police sources were illegal under Vietnamese press law because “journalists are not allowed to receive information from unauthorised sources.” The state’s lawyers argued that the reports contained errors, were biased and had tarnished the images of officials, party cadres, Vietnam and its leadership, ahead of a five-yearly party congress in early 2006.

“Hostile forces, reactionaries and political opportunists” had taken advantage of the scandal to attack Vietnam’s leaders while “stirring up activities to disturb security and order” ahead of the congress, they argued.

Veteran reporter Chien said he had been singled out and, confronted with the accusation that he had revealed state secrets, replied that “once they (police) give the information to us, it’s no longer secret.”

He said until his arrest he had never received a reprimand, defamation suit or readers’ complaint and added: “When PMU 18 was discovered, the whole political system of this country was focused on the issue.”

The arrests have sent a chill through the Vietnamese media, which initially protested but following stern official warnings fell silent. The two dailies’ deputy editors have had their press credentials withdrawn.—AFP