Urgent alert: Norwegian and Australian Activists Missing in Cambodia

Nguyen Duc Thuan, a Vietnamese-Norwegian, and Tran Hiep, a Vietnamese-Australian, have been long-time human rights advocates, supporting grassroots movements in Vietnam and combating social injustice.

They flew into Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 15 (from Bangkok) to meet with Vietnamese human rights activists. Their last known communication took place on the morning of September 18 with a scheduled return flight to Bangkok on September 19 at 10:30AM (on Cambodia Airways flight KR701). According to the airline, they never boarded their flight.

We have been in close contact with the Norwegian and Australian Foreign Ministries and their local embassies in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts from the Norwegian and Australian governments to resolve the case.

The Cambodian authorities must expeditiously and fully determine the whereabouts of Nguyen Duc Thuan and Tran Hiep. This is not an ordinary “missing persons” case given their long standing work advocating for human rights in Vietnam. Our families have filed an appeal to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances in light of their disappearance.

Nguyen Duc Thuan, 52, is based in Oslo with his wife and two children. As a member of Viet Tan, a pro-democracy party, Nguyen Duc Thuan has campaigned for the release of Vietnam’s political prisoners, working with Norwegian elected representatives, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and human rights organizations, including the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights. He is also an active member of the Catholic community in Norway, raising awareness of violations of freedom of religion in Vietnam. He has diabetes and requires daily insulin injections.

Tran Hiep (also known as Ho Pham Hiep Huy), 51, is based in Melbourne with his wife. He is also a member of Viet Tan and has trained activists on digital security. As a key member of the Em Viet group, he has helped deliver programs supporting young people facing difficult circumstances. He helped launch the Australian Alliance to Combat Human Trafficking (AusACT), organizing fundraising events and advocacy workshops to combat trafficking of young Vietnamese girls to neighboring countries.

We hope that anyone with information on their whereabouts will come forward and help reunite our families.

Respectfully,