Hanoi holds four U.S. citizens, but charges unclear

HANOI (Reuters) - Four Vietnamese-Americans are being detained in Vietnam, officials said on Thursday, but the charges against them were unclear weeks after their arrest.

The Viet Tan (Vietnam Reform Party), a U.S.-based group opposed to communist rule, says six of its activists were arrested in mid-November and that police seized thousands of leaflets promoting peaceful democratic change.

Officials have confirmed they include two U.S. citizens, a French national, a Thai national and two Vietnamese citizens.

A government spokesman on Thursday confirmed state media reports that, separately on November 23, two other U.S. citizens were arrested. He said it was for "bringing arms illegally into Vietnam".

Official media has linked them with the group of six, but the Vietnam Reform Party rejects any connection, saying it "does not support the use of violence for any reason".

Foreign ministry spokesman Le Dung told a regular media briefing on Thursday that "the competent authorities are conducting the investigations to clarify these cases and when we get the results we will inform you".

Two U.S. citizens were visited this week by American officials, who say they have not received formal notification of charges against any of the four U.S. nationals in custody.

"We are continuing to seek information. As always, the United States will protest actions taken to silence those engaged in the peaceful expression of political views," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.

The Communist Party rejects calls for multi-party democracy and has arrested about 30 political activists this year and put some of them on trial for "spreading propaganda against the state", a criminal offence in Vietnam.

(Reporting by Grant McCool; Editing by Alex Richardson)