Vietnam arrests well-known blogger for criticism

Vietnamese police have arrested one of the country's best known bloggers for posting criticism of the communist government.

The arrest of 49-year-old Truong Duy Nhat is the latest in an intensified crackdown against dissent in the one-party state.

Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Monday that police arrested Nhat at his home in central Danang City on Sunday and he was flown with a police escort to the capital Hanoi for further investigation. He was accused of "abusing democratic freedoms," an offense that carries up to seven years in prison.

Nhat was a reporter at a state-run newspaper before quitting more than two years ago to focus on his blog. His posts have often criticised the government, including one calling for the prime minister and the Communist Party chief to resign.

First Published: May 27, 2013 08:11 IST