Hanoi  - A Hanoi court Monday convicted eight parishioners of a Catholic church of damaging property and causing public disorder.

The eight parishioners, ranging in age from 21 to 63 years, took part in vigils over the past year at Hanoi's Thai Ha church, which is involved in a property dispute with the government.

Protestors erected crosses and shrines, and knocked down a brick wall on land belonging to a state-owned company adjacent to and previously owned by the church.

Church clergy demanded that the government return the land, which was appropriated by the state in 1961 under Vietnam's Communist land ownership system. The government says the church turned over the land voluntarily, and that land disputes dating to before a 1991 reform to property laws cannot be reconsidered.

Seven of the eight defendants denied the charges.

"Our vigils were a good thing for the government, because we prayed to God to enlighten the leaders' minds," defendant Le Quang Kien, 63, told the court.

Kien said parishioners staged the vigils because they had heard that authorities planned to sell the land to private buyers.

One defendant, Nguyen Thi Nhi, 46, admitted she had incited "public disorder" during the vigils.

The trial was held at a local government meeting hall rather than the Dong Da District People's Court. Police surrounded the location to keep unauthorized visitors out, while a crowd of parishioners from Thai Ha parish held a demonstration outside.

Two foreign press agencies and several diplomats were allowed to attend the trial. (dpa)