Vietnamese activists ‘abducted’ in Cambodia, says campaign group
By AFP
29-Sep-2026, 16:53
29 Sep 2026, 16:53
Hanoi says two pro-democracy Vietnamese activists in Cambodia and a third man were detained on charges of terrorism and document forgery.
!, a Norwegian citizen, and Australian national Tran Hiep were allegedly forcibly brought to Vietnam and detained on ‘fabricated’ terrorism charges, according to Viet Tan. (Viet Tan/X.com pic)")
HANOI:
Vietnam authorities have “abducted” two pro-democracy Vietnamese activists in Cambodia, their campaign group told AFP on Tuesday, after Hanoi said they and another man from the outlawed organisation were arrested.
Communist Vietnam permits little to no dissent within its borders and critics say its security apparatus stretches abroad, with wanted dissidents previously abducted in Thailand and Germany.
Rights group Viet Tan said its members were “abducted” by Vietnamese authorities in neighbouring Cambodia, forcibly brought to Vietnam and detained on “fabricated” terrorism charges.
They are Nguyen Duc Thuan, a Norwegian citizen, and Australian national Tran Hiep, also known as Ho Pham Hiep Huy.
They have been reported missing since Sept 18, when they were travelling to meet with other Vietnamese activists in Cambodia.
Vietnam’s public security ministry confirmed late on Monday that Thuan, 52, Hiep, 51, and a third Vietnamese man, Thai Cong Truong Son, 46, were detained on charges of terrorism and forging documents.
Viet Tan has not identified Son as a member of the group.
The ministry said the men attempted to enter Vietnam illegally from Cambodia on the night of Sept 18.
It said the three “confessed” to being Viet Tan members and “carrying forged documents to illegally enter Vietnam to conduct terrorist and sabotage activities”.
The terrorism charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail.
Kidnap opponents
Viet Tan’s US-based executive director Duy Hoang told AFP that Thuan and Hiep had no intention of entering Vietnam.
“Essentially, they’re being charged with belonging to Viet Tan,” Hoang said.
“It’s clear that Hanoi wants to crack down on dissent, whether it’s from inside of Vietnam or outside,” he said.
“It’s unacceptable to have a regime that can just kidnap opponents,” he said, adding Vietnam “needs political change”.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Tuesday his government was engaging directly with Hiep’s family and providing consular assistance.
More than 160 political prisoners are detained in Vietnam, according to Human Rights Watch.
Campaigners say previous cases of “transnational repression” by Vietnam include the 2017 kidnapping of fugitive Vietnamese executive Trinh Xuan Thanh from a Berlin park, and the 2023 abduction of Vietnamese blogger and government critic Duong Van Thai in Thailand.
Both men were seeking asylum outside Vietnam but were ultimately returned and jailed.
Hoang said he believed the recent detentions were the first of a person with non-Vietnamese citizenship being “abducted outside of Vietnam because of that person’s political activities”.
“This is not a normal missing persons case,” he said.
“These are long-time human rights activists… and we’re worried for their safety,” he added.
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