Rights group accuses Vietnam of abducting Australian and Norwegian activists

What the report says

A pro-democracy group has accused Vietnam of abducting two of its members, Australian citizen Tran Hiep and Norwegian citizen Nguyen Duc Thuan, in Cambodia and taking them across the border to Vietnam. The allegations, reported by BBC World News, centre on claims by Viet Tan that the men disappeared while travelling in Cambodia’s southern border area and were later detained in Vietnam. Viet Tan described the case as an example of "transnational repression."

Vietnamese authorities, however, gave a different account. They said the two men entered the country illegally using forged documents and were planning terrorist activity. State media reported that the men, along with a third person, were detained in Tay Ninh province on 18 September and later charged with membership of a terrorist organisation. Vietnam also said the men admitted links to Viet Tan, which it regards as a terrorist group.

The case matters because it has drawn attention to tensions over exile politics, cross-border policing and the treatment of dissidents in Southeast Asia. Tran’s wife told Australian media he had been meeting pro-democracy activists in Cambodia and had been due to travel on to Bangkok before returning to Australia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said consular support was being provided, while human rights advocates urged scrutiny of Vietnam’s actions. Vietnamese and Cambodian authorities had been contacted for comment, BBC said.