Norway to raise Nguyễn Đức Thuận's detention with Vietnam

Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that State Secretary Astrid Bergmål will raise the case of Nguyễn Đức Thuận with Vietnamese authorities during her visit to Hanoi. Mr. Thuận, a Norwegian citizen, was detained in Vietnam on September 18, 2026, alongside two others, following an incident at the Mỹ Quý Tây border gate in Tây Ninh province.

Vietnamese authorities stated the individuals were apprehended for allegedly entering the country illegally from Cambodia. Reports indicate Mr. Thuận was found in possession of a Norwegian passport and two counterfeit identity cards.

The diplomatic intervention occurs as Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—comprising Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—prepare to sign a free trade agreement in Hanoi on October 18, 2026. While the economic partnership is moving forward, the detention has become a sensitive diplomatic issue, with Norway expressing concern and seeking a swift resolution to protect its citizen's interests.