Norway will raise imprisoned Norwegian's situation with Vietnam

The signing of an agreement between Norway and Vietnam comes in the shadow of the situation of an imprisoned Norwegian citizen in jail.

IN VIETNAM: Thuan Duc Nguyen (52) disappeared in Cambodia in September and turned up in Vietnamese custody. Nineteen days later, Norwegian authorities found out where he was being held. On Sunday, Norway will raise his situation in connection with the signing of a trade agreement. Photo: Private / Handout / NTB

Published 14.10.2026 12:49 Last updated 11 hours ago

52-year-old Thuan Duc Nguyen is imprisoned in Vietnam, charged with terrorism and document forgery.

He disappeared in Cambodia on September 18 and subsequently turned up in Vietnamese custody. The family has reported both Vietnam and Cambodia for kidnapping.

The 52-year-old is a member of VietTan, a Vietnamese opposition organization that Vietnamese authorities have classified as a terrorist organization.

On Sunday, Norway is expected to sign a new free trade agreement with Vietnam. State Secretary Astrid Bergmål is to sign the agreement. She intends to raise the matter with Vietnamese authorities, according to the Foreign Ministry (UD).

– Great understanding

Mariken Bruusgaard Harbitz is press contact at the Foreign Ministry. She emphasizes that the Foreign Ministry prioritizes the case highly.

– We have great understanding that this is a very difficult situation for all involved. The Norwegian embassy in Hanoi and the Foreign Ministry (UD) are providing practical assistance in the case, says Bruusgaard to NTB.

She also says:

– We are in contact with the family and have requested access to the detainee to ensure that he is doing reasonably well and to be able to provide necessary practical assistance.

– The case raises public concern in Norway. We hope the case can be resolved as quickly as possible.

Family: – It means a lot to us

Thien Duc Nguyen, brother of the missing Thuan, says the family is grateful that the State Secretary has signaled that she will raise the matter in connection with the signing of the free trade agreement.

– It means a lot to us. We often feel powerless in this situation, and any opportunity to draw attention to the case gives the family hope that Thuan will not be forgotten, he tells TV 2.

– We hope this can contribute to him receiving fair treatment and being able to come home to the family as soon as possible.

The family still believes there is no basis for the charges against Thuan based on the evidence known to them.

– We greatly appreciate all support and all engagement. For us, this is not just about a legal case, but about a brother, a son, a father, a husband and a dear family member who has been torn away from us. Every single day we live with uncertainty, loss and worry.

Thien tells how the situation has been a heavy burden for the entire family.

– It is heartbreaking. We wake up every day with questions we don't get answers to, and with a constant fear of what may happen next. The thought that this could last for years is very heavy to bear.

He says the family fears that his brother may be convicted without a real and fair opportunity to defend himself.

– At the same time, we try to hold on to hope that the truth will come out, and that we will get him home again one day.

Significant agreement

Public officials in Switzerland and Vietnam confirm to news agency Reuters that the signing of the free trade agreement takes place on Sunday. State Secretary Bergmål is to travel to Vietnam between Thursday and Monday, according to the Foreign Ministry's schedule.

The Efta countries, which consist of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, concluded negotiations on the trade agreement with Vietnam in July.

The agreement is of particular importance for the seafood industry, where products such as salmon and mackerel go from tariffs of up to 15 percent to zero tariff.

The salmon tariff is set to zero when the agreement enters into force, the mackerel tariff after a phase-out over three years.

(©NTB)