September 25, 2026
TWO VIET TAN MEMBERS MISSING IN CAMBODIA
Two members of Viet Tan, Nguyen Duc Thuan and Tran Hiep, have been missing in Cambodia since September 18, 2026. To date, their families and colleagues have received no information about their whereabouts.
Nguyen Duc Thuan, 52, is a Norwegian national residing in Oslo with his wife and two children. His commitment to the Vietnamese community began during his university years, when he served as President of the University of Oslo Student Association and organized activities promoting a deeper understanding of Vietnamese history and culture. Since joining Viet Tan, he has been actively involved in promoting democracy and human rights in Vietnam. His work has included engaging with Norwegian and European Union parliamentarians, collaborating with human rights organizations, and supporting activists on the ground.
Tran Hiep, also known as Ho Pham Hiep Huy, 51, is an Australian national residing in Melbourne with his wife. His commitment to community service also began at university, when he became involved with the Vietnamese Students Association in Victoria. After graduating, he continued working on social justice, youth welfare, and human rights through Em Viet and the Australian Coalition Against Trafficking (AusACT). Within Viet Tan, he has helped provide digital security training to human rights activists.
Meeting with and supporting individuals and organizations who share the vision of a free and democratic Vietnam is a core part of the work of Viet Tan members. Members in Vietnam and around the world have for many years connected regularly with activists and civil society organizations to exchange ideas and offer mutual support. At the same time, this civic engagement has frequently made Viet Tan members targets of surveillance, harassment, and other forms of pressure from the Vietnamese authorities.
The disappearance of these two human rights defenders has caused deep concern among their families and their colleagues in Viet Tan. We are working closely with their families to engage the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as both countries’ diplomatic missions in Phnom Penh and Bangkok, to determine the men’s whereabouts and ensure their safety. We are also receiving support from a number of international human rights organizations.
We sincerely thank our friends and fellow Vietnamese for their messages of concern, encouragement, and support. Above all, we hope that Thuan and Hiep are safe and will soon return home to their families.
We will continue to provide updates as new developments emerge, and we ask that you continue to follow, share, and support efforts to locate the two men.
For further information, please contact: +1 346-704-4744
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