The charges against six pro-democracy activists who went on trial in Vietnam on Thursday, October 8th, include writing articles, distributing leaflets, and hanging banners calling for change to the country's one party communist system.

The group, known as Bloc 8406, was formed on April 8, 2006 to promote democracy in Vietnam.

Three more members of the group are due to go on trial this week after being arrested last year.

Vu Hung was convicted in Hanoi on Wednesday, October 7th under the same charges.

The secondary school teacher said he wanted his “little voice” to help improve Vietnamese society.

The indictment against the group states leader Nguyen Xuan Nghia and his group hung banners in Hai Phong and the neighboring province of Hai Duong.

One banner said corruption was "sucking the blood of the people", and inflation was "killing" them.

It also said the Communist Party should "immediately proceed with democratization, pluralism and multi-party rule."

Human rights groups have condemned the arrests and lengthy pre-trial detentions of the activists.