Key facts
- Tran Hiep, a Vietnamese-Australian democracy campaigner, was detained in Vietnam in mid-September.
- Hiep is accused of terrorism and forging identity documents.
- He is reportedly a member of Viet Tan, which Vietnam designates as a terrorist group.
- Hiep was arrested entering Vietnam from Cambodia along with two other activists.
- Hiep is being held in the B34 pre-trial detention center in Ho Chi Minh City.
- The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance.
Tran Hiep, a Vietnamese-Australian democracy campaigner based in Melbourne, has been detained in Vietnam since mid-September on allegations of terrorism and forging identity documents. His wife, Chloe Dang, has not heard from him since he failed to board a flight from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on September 18, where he had been meeting with human rights defenders.
Vietnamese authorities confirmed Hiep's detention, and his wife has since been informed by Australian authorities that he is being held in the B34 pre-trial detention center in Ho Chi Minh City, a facility known for alleged human rights abuses against political prisoners. Dang expressed deep concern for his well-being, especially as he spent his 51st birthday alone in detention.
Hiep is accused of being a member of Viet Tan, a group that Vietnam labels as a terrorist organization, though Human Rights Watch describes it as an opposition political party operating lawfully in many countries, including Australia. According to a Vietnamese government statement, Hiep was arrested entering Vietnam from Cambodia along with two other activists, Nguyen Duc Thuan (who holds a Norwegian passport) and Thai Cong Truong Son. Cambodian authorities have denied any involvement in their interception.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Hiep's family, but the government has been cautious about commenting publicly on the case. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia has different approaches to individual freedom compared to some regional political regimes. Human rights advocates, including Amnesty International Australia and Human Rights Watch, are concerned about the worsening human rights situation in Vietnam and believe Hiep may have been abducted from Cambodia, which would be a violation of international law. They are urging the Australian government to speak out publicly and demand an independent investigation, drawing parallels to the case of Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was detained in Iran.