An appeals court in north-central Vietnam has been criticized for upholding a five-year prison sentence for a jailed Catholic activist. The People's Court of Nghe An province on Jan. 15 upheld Nguyen Van Oai's prison term, and another four years' probation, on a charge of resisting security officers and violating the terms of his probation from an earlier jail sentence. Only Oai's mother and wife could attend court proceedings while relatives and supporters were stopped from entering and left outside where they were surrounded by police and security officials. At least five supporters were badly beaten and detained at a police station, said eye witnesses. Police also confiscated several banners that supported Oai and the cellphones of some people. Supporters said prayers and sang hymns outside the court building. Oai's lawyer Ha Huy Son said after the trial that the court had illegally convicted him. The lawyer said police and authorities violated the law when they arbitrarily entered Oai's house without his permission on multiple times. "He properly acted in self-defense by forcing them out of his home," Son said. "Another unreasonable thing was that police appeared as witnesses at the trial. It should have been Oai's neighbors acting as witnesses," he said. He said the judge refused his comments against the conviction. Oai's mother Tran Thi Lieu said her son fought for people's rights and the common good. "The sentence is unfair because my son is innocent," she said. Before the now 36-year-old was arrested in January 2017, Oai was on four years' probation that was part of an earlier sentence for "attempting to overthrow the people's government." As part of that, he was in prison from 2013-15. Oai, a father of one, participated in anti-China protests and protested the imprisonment of rights activists. He also took part in protests against Taiwanese steel company Formosa, which was responsible for a toxic waste disaster along the central coast of Vietnam in April 2016. Rights group Human Rights Watch said the Vietnamese authorities should drop charges of violating probation against Oai and allow him to go home. "Nguyen Van Oai and many other brave Vietnamese risk their personal safety and freedom to advocate for democracy and human rights," said Brad Adams, Asia director. Human Rights Watch said more than 100 activists are currently imprisoned in Vietnam for exercising their basic freedoms of expression, assembly, association and religion.