Australian Activist Hiep Tran Faces Years Behind Bars in Vietnam: Friend
Australian human rights activist Hiep Tran, who was detained in Vietnam earlier this month, is likely facing years behind bars and squalid conditions in prison, according to a Sydney man who faced a similar fate. Chau Van Kham, who was released in 2023 after being detained in Vietnam for four and a half years on terrorism charges, believes his friend will not receive a fair trial.
A Sydney man who faced a similar fate to Australian human rights activist Hiep Tran, who has been charged with terrorism offences in Vietnam, says he believes his friend is facing years behind bars.
Chau Van Kham was released in 2023 after being detained in Vietnam for four and a half years on terrorism charges. He said Mr Tran, who was detained by Vietnamese authorities earlier this month, is likely facing squalid conditions inside prison, with his every movement watched by an officer from the secret police.
"The living conditions are so bad," Mr Kham said. "The heat, no fan, the lights are very small, no sunshine … it was a 12-metre square room for two people, including toilet, bathroom."
Family says activist abducted in Cambodia
Mr Tran, 50, from Melbourne, was charged this week after being abducted in Cambodia, according to his family. Vietnamese authorities allege he was caught trying to cross the border illegally with forged documents.
Mr Tran travelled to Cambodia with a colleague to visit human rights activists.
"On the news from Vietnamese authorities, they said they tried to break in and pass the border late at night on Friday the 18th. How can it be possible?"
Mr Tran's wife, Chloe Dang, said the Vietnamese government's claims made no sense. She said he was due to fly out on September 19 and that she was going to meet him at the airport.
"I still don't know if he's OK, because until now we still don't know where he's being held and how his wellbeing is," she said. "I really hope the Australian government can do something so we can get him to return home safely."
Viet Tan executive director Duy Hoang believes Mr Tran was abducted by Vietnamese intelligence and brought back under fabricated charges.
"This is a real example of transnational repression. It's shocking," Mr Hoang said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was providing consular support to Mr Tran's family.
Mr Kham said that when he was detained in 2019 on similar national security charges, it was weeks before Australian officials were granted consular access. He does not believe Mr Tran will receive a fair trial.
"It's hopeless. They will keep them until they find out who in Vietnam cooperated with them. If not they will punish them into saying what they want," Mr Kham said.
"Be confident, because we didn't do anything wrong," he said.