A court in Vietnam has sentenced a Facebook user to 4 ½ years in jail for posts that the court said distorted the political situation in the country and opposed the ruling Communist Party and the state.

A state-run newspaper said Bui Hieu Vo, 56, was convicted of conducting anti-state propaganda at the one-day trial Wednesday in the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tuoi Tre newspaper said authorities found 57 posts on Vo's Facebook page opposed the Communist Party and instigated people to engage terrorist activities. He was arrested in March last year.

The newspaper also reported that police in the northern province of Thanh Hoa on Tuesday had detained Nguyen Duy Son for Facebook posts that defamed the country's leaders.