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Vietnamese authorities have charged Melbourne activist Hiep Tran and two others over an alleged terrorist plot, while pro-democracy group Viet Tan says the men were abducted in Cambodia in an act of transnational repression.
Vietnamese authorities have charged an Australian human rights activist and two other people over an alleged plot to carry out terrorist activities in the country.
Australian Activists Charged With Terror Plot
Melbourne resident Hiep Tran, also known as Tran Hiep, and his Norwegian-Vietnamese colleague Duc Thuan Nguyen were feared missing after flying to Cambodia almost two weeks ago. The charges are heavily disputed by the US-based pro-democracy group Viet Tan, which said it believed the men were abducted in what it called an act of transnational repression. Viet Tan representative Phong Nguyen said the group strongly denies the accusations and called them complete fabrications.
Yesterday, Viet Tan said the men never intended to leave Cambodia and accused authorities of forcibly taking the pair to Vietnam. In a statement released this afternoon, Vietnams Ministry of Public Security said it had caught Tran, Nguyen and one other man trying to illegally enter Vietnam from Cambodia.
The ministry statement also alleged the men confessed to being members of Viet Tan, which the Vietnamese government considers a terrorist organisation, and to trying to illegally enter Vietnam to carry out terrorist activities. The ministry has now initiated a criminal case against the men but has not said when they will face court proceedings. The Security Investigation Agency is continuing to investigate the matter, and the ministry said it would be handled in accordance with Vietnamese law.
Fair Trial Concerns Rise Over Legal Process
Concern about a fair trial is growing. Dr Nguyen said he had very little confidence in the countrys legal system, noting that many people in the past had been charged behind closed doors or sentenced on predetermined charges. The concern here is that these men will not get a fair trial, he said. The 50-year-old Tran founded the Australian Alliance to Combat Human Trafficking and was traveling with Thuan to meet dissident Vietnamese activists for training in Cambodia.
Tran was due to meet his wife, Chloe Dang, in Bangkok after travelling to Phnom Penh to meet with human rights defenders. But he did not board his flight and has not been heard from since September 18. Dang said she feared for her husbands life.
My family and I are really worried about his safety, and we just only want to know where he is and what happened to him, she told AAP from Bangkok airport before boarding a flight to Melbourne. My husband deserves protection, and I really hope the Australian government will continue to put pressure on Cambodia to do an investigation to find out where he is right now, she said.
It has been 11 days and I am really in the dark, she said, choking back tears. I dont know where he is and how hes doing, it is driving me crazy. Viet Tan claims the pair had no intention of entering Vietnam and accused Vietnamese authorities of abducting them on fabricated charges to cover up an act of transnational repression.
Viet Tan Demands Immediate Release of Men
This is a blatant fabrication intended to conceal the fact that the Viet Tan members were abducted in Cambodia and forcibly taken to Vietnam, the group said in a statement released on Monday night. Viet Tan is calling on Norwegian and Australian authorities, and human rights organisations, to press the Vietnamese government for the immediate and unconditional release of both men. Mr Thuan is diabetic and requires daily insulin injections.
He must be guaranteed full access to medication and medical care, the organisation said. Their disappearance is not an ordinary missing person incident. Both men are long-time human rights advocates and Viet Tan members, Viet Tan said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed today the Australian government was providing consular support to Trans family.
That is what Australian governments do for our citizens, and we will continue to engage directly with the family, he said. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said it was making urgent inquiries with Vietnamese authorities. The department is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian reported missing in Cambodia, a department spokesperson said. The Australian government confirmed that consular officials were in contact with Dang but declined to comment further.
Families File Unreported Disappearance Appeal With UN
The families of the missing men have filed an appeal with the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Vietnam has ramped up its crackdown on dissidents in recent years, with more than 55 activists arrested under broad criminal laws in 2025. Civil society groups and United Nations human rights experts have repeatedly warned of growing cooperation between Vietnamese authorities and neighbouring governments targeting advocates.
Viet Tan is a pro-democracy diaspora political party of which Hiep and Thuan are members. The group denies claims the two men had illegally entered Vietnam from the Cambodian border. The case continues to draw international attention as concerns mount over the mens safety and legal treatment.
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abcnews:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Viet Tan Vietnam Transnational Repression Cambodia Disappearance Australian Activist Charged
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