Vietnam Arrests Activists Who Disappeared in Cambodia
Two Vietnamese Catholic activists have been detained by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security after going missing in Cambodia. One is an Australian citizen, Ho Pham Hiep Huy, also known as Tran Hiep, age 50, and the other, Nguyen Duc Thuan, is a 52-year-old Norwegian. The ministry claims they had attempted to illegally enter Vietnam and had joined a “terrorist organization.”
The pair, along with a 46-year-old Thai national named Thai Cong Truong Son, were reportedly arrested on September 18 while crossing the border from Cambodia. All three individuals are said to be affiliated with Viet Tan, a U.S.-based pro-democracy group that the Vietnamese Communist government considers a terrorist entity, despite Viet Tan’s self-description as a peaceful reform advocate.
Human rights organizations contest the Vietnamese government’s severe categorization of Viet Tan, arguing that it operates legally in numerous nations. For instance, Human Rights Watch argues that the group has been unjustly labeled as a terrorist organization by Hanoi in efforts to silence dissent.
Viet Tan announced that Hiep and Thuan had gone missing on September 18, highlighting their roles as human rights defenders and that both have families awaiting their return. Thuan is reported to be diabetic and requires regular insulin injections.
According to Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, the individuals involved are under investigation for “terrorism” and alleged forgery due to claims of trying to enter Vietnam with false documents.
The activists entered Cambodia on September 15, and were scheduled to leave on September 19, but they were declared missing when they didn’t board their return flights. It’s noted that their trip was intended for meetings with fellow activists, and there were no plans to travel into Vietnam.
Tran’s wife, Chloe Dang, expressed concern about his safety, stating he had intended to meet her in Bangkok on his way back to Australia and wasn’t planning to go to Vietnam. She mentioned that while he was aware of risks associated with human rights activism, they never anticipated this outcome.
Viet Tan condemned the alleged abduction and the fabricated charges from the Vietnamese government, suggesting they represent a broader pattern of transnational repression. Duy Hoang, the organization’s executive director, stated that these actions demonstrate the oppressive nature of the current regime and called for more scrutiny and caution directed towards the promises of the Vietnamese government.
Both Nguyen and Hiep are noted to be Catholic, and prayer vigils have been held for them. There’s no confirmation yet whether Son is a member of Viet Tan.
Viet Tan criticized the accusations against them as a “blatant fabrication” aimed at obscuring the reality of their abduction in Cambodia. Recent reports have accused the Vietnamese authorities of extending their repressive tactics beyond national borders, targeting political dissidents residing abroad.
In response to this situation, other human rights advocates have voiced their concerns about Vietnam’s crackdown on dissent. Phil Robertson, the director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, urges both Norway and Australia to take decisive actions against Vietnam’s disregard for international human rights norms and demand the immediate release of the detained activists.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has stated it is pursuing urgent inquiries to confirm the detention of its citizen, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has assured that support is being provided to Hiep’s family. Hiep’s wife, Chloe, expressed her worries about his safety and hopes for continued pressure on Cambodia to investigate his whereabouts.
