Viet Tan: Rights group accuses Vietnam of abducting Australian, Norwegian activists - BBC News                            (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmvgy2wwvzlqo)  (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmvgy2wwvzlqo)  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmvgy2wwvzlqo)  (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmvgy2wwvzlqo)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-36.413a37b227.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-48.010dc96bcf.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-57.1fcd0dc805.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-60.52f68a148f.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-72.f155fdb25f.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-76.cb5ee392d4.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-96.35ee2d1e20.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-114.7ccdf53cba.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-120.73e20442a9.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-128.060d346f09.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-144.e08bc23631.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-152.4de1981be0.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-180.1a18cb7b72.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-192.3ac042fa43.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-384.728e3a03d3.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-512.685da29e9e.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/favicon/news/favicon-16.8a240ceacc.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/favicon/news/favicon-32.5cf4e6db02.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/manifest.11b0cb15658c4719a2c19e25644577223adaa7b2.json)   (https://www.bbc.com)   BBC Homepage    (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#main-heading) Skip to content  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/) Accessibility Help          (https://account.bbc.com/account?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticles%2Fcmvgy2wwvzlqo)    Your account       (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#global-navigation-more-menu)    More menu     (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#global-navigation-more-menu)   More menu    (https://www.bbc.com/search?d=NEWS_GNL)    Search BBC      (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#more-menu-button)   Close menu          (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news)   BBC News      (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#product-navigation-menu)    Menu  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news) Home   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cmj34zmwm1zt) Climate   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world) World   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/us_and_canada) US & Canada   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk) UK   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business) Business   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology) Tech   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science_and_environment) Science   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment_and_arts) Entertainment & Arts   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health) Health     (cmvgy2wwvzlqo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#product-navigation-more-menu)    More     (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in_pictures) In Pictures   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/bbcverify) BBC Verify   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat) Newsbeat         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world) World   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/africa) Africa   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/asia) Asia   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/australia) Australia   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/europe) Europe   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/latin_america) Latin America   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east) Middle East           Rights group accuses Vietnam of abducting Australian and Norwegian activists      (A composite image of two middle aged men with short black hair smiling at the camera)    Image source,  Viet Tan: Supplied  Image caption,  Nguyen Duc Thuan (left) and Tran Hiep have been detained in Vietnam in what a pro-democracy group has called an act of "transnational repression"       By Helen Livingstone Sydney      Published 7 hours ago           A pro-democracy group has accused the Vietnamese government of abducting two of its members, an Australian and a Norwegian citizen, in Cambodia and taking them back across the border.  Vietnamese authorities confirmed that they had arrested Tran Hiep and Nguyen Duc Thuan, but say they had entered the country using forged documents and planned to carry out terrorist activities. It said the men had admitted to being members of Viet Tan, which Vietnam sees as a terrorist organisation. Viet Tan called their arrest a "blatant fabrication intended to conceal the fact that the Viet Tan members were abducted in Cambodia and forcibly taken to Vietnam". The group, which has members in Vietnam and abroad, said the two men had been travelling in the southern border district of Kaoh Andaet in Cambodia when they went missing and had not been heard from since 18 September.  Tran's wife, Chloe Dang, told Australian media he had been meeting pro-democracy activists in Cambodia and had no intention of travelling to Vietnam.  He was meant to meet her in Bangkok to board a return flight to Australia but never turned up, she said. "He always knew there was a risk doing human rights work, but we never thought that this would happen,"  she told the ABC. According to a Vietnamese state media report published on Monday, Tran and Nguyen were detained with a third man at the border in Tay Ninh province on 18 September. The trio "confessed to being members of the terrorist organisation 'Viet Tan,' [and] carrying forged documents to illegally enter Vietnam in order to carry out terrorist and sabotage activities," the report said. They were charged on Monday with membership of a terrorist organisation while an investigation continued "to clarify the criminal acts of the suspects in order to handle them according to the law", it said. "A state orchestrating the abduction of individuals abroad and forcibly taking them to its territory is a serious act of transnational repression," said Viet Tan. "It violates Cambodia's sovereignty and the fundamental principles of international law." The Viet Tan statement did not mention the third man, who was named by authorities as Thai Cong Truong Son. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said consular support was being provided to Tran's family.  "That's what Australian governments do for our citizens. And we'll continue to engage directly with the family." "Vietnam authorities' confirmation that they detained [these] activists... demonstrates yet again that Hanoi is arguably the most vicious and pernicious practitioner of transnational repression today in Southeast Asia," Phil Robertson, Director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates said in a statement.  "This latest act is an unacceptable outrage." The Vietnamese and Cambodian authorities have been contacted for comment.     Related topics  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/australia) Australia  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c8nq32jwj8mt) Cambodia  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c207p54m4n2t) Vietnam  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/clm1wxp5mgxt) Norway  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c5rznn0nvvyt) Asia           (vertical video collection) The video playlist   Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC      Previous     Next         0:55 Should Andy Burnham call an early general election? 00:00:55, play video Should Andy Burnham call an early general election?    (A young woman at the Labour conference in Liverpool)           1:28 Tennessee to execute first woman in almost 200 years. 00:01:28, play video Tennessee to execute first woman in almost 200 years    (A woman with curly brown hair having a mug shot taken.)           0:41 Man jailed for ramming stolen tractor into house. 00:00:41, play video Man jailed for ramming stolen tractor into house    (A tractor sticking out of the ground floor of a two-storey house.)           0:50 Noisy manhole misery for residents. 00:00:50, play video Noisy manhole misery for residents    (A woman with bobbed brown hair looks at someone off-camera)           0:41 Grab your sunnies, the warm weather is returning... 00:00:41, play video Grab your sunnies, the warm weather is returning...    (A woman and a child sit on a bench with their backs to the camera. The woman is holding an umbrella to hide from the sun. The sea is in the background and the pair are dressed in summer clothes.)           0:39 Marco Rubio: 'Foreign actor' involved in RAF Fairford incident. 00:00:39, play video Marco Rubio: 'Foreign actor' involved in RAF Fairford incident    (Marco Rubio has short, styled black hir, He is wearing a shite shirt and dark suit jacket, with a brown, patterned tie.)           0:52 RAF Fairford suspects released on bail. 00:00:52, play video RAF Fairford suspects released on bail    (Laurence Taylor wearing a navy blue suit and holding a folder)           0:39 Labour supporters on how Britain could be better. 00:00:39, play video Labour supporters on how Britain could be better    (A young woman at Labour conference in Liverpool. She has long auburn hair, and is wearing a navy top and brick-red cardigan.)           1:15 'Using my Welsh accent was liberating for me as an actor' 00:01:15, play video 'Using my Welsh accent was liberating for me as an actor'    (Catherine Zeta-Jones in her new film, with tied back dark hair and a purple fluffy jacket.)           1:13 The truth about oily fish and your brain. 00:01:13, play video The truth about oily fish and your brain    (Presenter Mykyta Osadchyi looking at the camera with an illustration of some fish above him)           1:09 The cyclist who dressed as man to avoid the Taliban. 00:01:09, play video The cyclist who dressed as man to avoid the Taliban    (Fariba Hashimi)           1:21 Why is an Orange Order march being blocked in NI? 00:01:21, play video Why is an Orange Order march being blocked in NI?    (Crowds of people block the Garvaghy Road in Northern Ireland.)           1:25 Here's how record UK diesel prices could get worse. 00:01:25, play video Here's how record UK diesel prices could get worse    (Faisal Islam)           1:04 Gamer gran named world's oldest female Fortnite streamer. 00:01:04, play video Gamer gran named world's oldest female Fortnite streamer    (A woman wearing a purple headset and a yellow blouse talks to the camera)           1:03 What's next for Man City? 00:01:03, play video What's next for Man City?    (A picture inside Manchester City football stadium. The stands are empty and so is the pitch. The word "City" is visible, spelt out in giant letters formed of white seats in the background.)           0:54 Is Burnham's leadership just about 'good vibes'? 00:00:54, play video Is Burnham's leadership just about 'good vibes'?    (Young woman at Labour Party conference)               Top stories (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6x2zrv774gvt)     Live.    Burnham giving first Labour conference speech as prime minister - watch live     44023 viewing 44k viewing             (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cmvgy21872nyo) What happens next in the RAF Fairford investigation     Published 1 hour ago            (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm5y5nynl75ko) OpenAI scraps rollout of new model over safety concerns     Published 3 hours ago                More to explore (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj207qk472zpo) Celine Dion kicks off Paris Fashion Week with surprise performance       (Celine Dion singing into a microphone with her right hand held aloft. She is wearing a strapless black velvet dress and a diamond bracelet.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c61mvy1emr2zo) I paid £30,000 for an 'influencer' degree. Here's why      (Destiny McGowan leans over some magazines)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6grvpppvw5eo) Blue Lights: The police drama hitting home in Northern Ireland      (A young woman with brunette hair dressed in a dark green police uniform which includes a body-worn camera, stab vest and walkie-talkie. She's standing in an alleyway with red brick houses and bins alongside her. She's holding an ear piece to her left ear. She has a stunned impression on her face.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmvgy9ew7815o) From Amazon retreats to clinical research: The rise of psychedelic therapy      (Claire Torpey standing outside looking into the distance wearing purple tinted sunglasses and her hair ius blowing slightly in the wind. She is wearing a brown scarf over her shoulders.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6zxzj7dkq94o) If I'd fallen asleep I'd be dead, says man who had meningitis within a year of his brother      (Two men have their arms around each other.  The one on the left has brown hair and is wearing a green hoody and puffer jacket.  The man on the right is wearging a bright green sports top and has a medal around his neck and he is holding a bottle of water.  There are barriers in the background.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6m03ld7nvo) What is the triple lock and why are people talking about it?      (An older woman smiles as she looks out of a bus window. She has short grey in a bun and is wearing a grey jumper.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwkgx580jyveo) I thank heart donor's family for my 'fantastic mundane' life      (Kev Rands poses with his wife, son and daughter at a brightly-lit shopping centre.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx7v4pep3725o) Married couple both world champion pole climbers      (Composite image of two pole climbers)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsletters/zgmn46f) US Politics Unspun: Cut through the noise with Anthony Zurcher's newsletter      (A cut of of Anthony Zurcher wearing a suit and tie in front of a red, black, grey and blue graphic background featuring the US Capitol Building)             Elsewhere on the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00304f5?at_mid=cDXPjHDyO7&at_campaign=Blue_Lights_S4_E1&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=p0f2cxpr&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Blue_Lights_S4_E1&at_bbc_team=BBC) The new series of the Bafta-winning police drama is here        (Blue Lights)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0032jxk?at_mid=yw39dB8utx&at_campaign=Disclosure_Investigates_Killer_on_the_Ward&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=SCT&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p0hrmv27&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Disclosure_Investigates_Killer_on_the_Ward&at_bbc_team=BBC) Was Colin Norris wrongly convicted of killing his patients?        (Disclosure Investigates: Killer on the Ward)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0030byq?at_mid=6hU4z9TSEO&at_campaign=Stacey_Dooley_Sleeps_Over_S4_E1&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=p0dglmgw&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Stacey_Dooley_Sleeps_Over_S4_E1&at_bbc_team=BBC) Stacey Dooley meets extraordinary families across the USA        (Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over USA)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct8grf?at_mid=GTWKW6AwRS&at_campaign=Business_Daily_Follow_the_Money_Why_does_an_Oktoberfest_beer_cost_16&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p002vsxs&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Business_Daily_Follow_the_Money_Why_does_an_Oktoberfest_beer_cost_16&at_bbc_team=BBC) Why does an Oktoberfest beer cost €16?        (Business Daily)            Most read 1 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6n07lj4egn2o) Body of newborn baby found on shoreline in Wales as police search for mother       2 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqy7zr6d2lj4o) Sir Ranulph Fiennes' relatives tell BBC it's 'very painful' not being able to visit him       3 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm7502650gy6o) RAF Fairford incident involves 'foreign actor', says Rubio       4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv4g514pldgwo) Snooker champion Graeme Dott jailed for seven years for child sex abuse       5 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2kwlx2jg3do) Daniel Thomas refused bail over alleged boat damage       6 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmly40r3pkqxo) 'Ship buster' missiles sink old US warship in live fire training off Scotland       7 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5yj1835y1wo) Argentina threatens legal action against UK over Falkland Islands oil exploration        8 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw7702j25gyro) Bank cash machines ripped out and taken away in horsebox       9 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm5y5nynl75ko) OpenAI scraps rollout of new model over safety concerns       10 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj207qk472zpo) Celine Dion kicks off Paris Fashion Week with surprise performance                BBC News Services  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628994)    On your mobile  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-50068132)    On smart speakers  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628323)    Get news alerts  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/20039682)    Contact BBC News     (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms) Terms of Use  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc) About the BBC  (https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/privacy) Privacy Policy  (https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/cookies) Cookies  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility) Accessibility Help  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/guidance) Parental Guidance  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact) Contact the BBC  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers) Careers  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewsletter) BBC emails for you  (https://www.bbc.com/advertisingcontact/) Advertise with us    Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidance/links-and-feeds) Read about our approach to external linking.         ()