What happened
Vietnam has charged two democracy activists, one from Australia and the other from Norway, with terrorism. The activists, Ho Pham Hiep Huy, an Australian national, and Nguyen Duc Thuan, a Norwegian national, were arrested on September 18 while attempting to cross the border from Cambodia. They were reportedly members of a US-based pro-democracy group called Viet Tan, which the Vietnamese government regards as a terrorist organization.
According to Viet Tan, the two men were in Cambodia to meet with other activists and had no plans to enter Vietnam. The organization claims that the Vietnamese government's allegations of terrorism are fabricated and that the men were abducted in Cambodia and forcibly taken to Vietnam.
Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have disputed the Vietnamese government's characterization of Viet Tan as a terrorist threat, saying that the group operates openly and lawfully in many countries. The groups have called for the immediate and unconditional release of the two men.
The Australian and Norwegian governments have expressed concern over the detention of their citizens and are seeking confirmation of the reports. The Australian Prime Minister has said that consular services are being provided to Hiep's family, while the Norwegian government has not commented on the matter.
