Nguyen Lan Thang is one of the signers of the Statement 258. In August 2013, this blogger and other bloggers of the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to submit a statement against Article 258 to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations and other human rights organizations.
Reportedly, Nguyen Lan Thang returned to Vietnam after attending a training in the Philippines that lasted several months. His arrest has been confirmed in a Facebook page of blogger La Viet Dung with the message, "Lan Thang could only have enough time to say ‘I am arrested’ before being gone missing!"
Post by Lã Việt Dũng.
When the news of his arrest was announced, about 30 bloggers immediately went to Noi Bai International Airport to make inquiry and to demand his release. Among them is his seven-month pregnant wife.
"Dear friends, when you see this video, I have been detained by the security office. But please be assured, I'll be back with you soon," he said in a video clip, which has been circulated on Facebook, just before his arrest.
