Vietnamese authorities detain Australian and Norwegian human rights activists

Vietnamese authorities arrested an Australian man and a Norwegian-Vietnamese man near the Cambodia-Vietnam border on September 18. A third person was also detained. Officials say the men tried to enter Vietnam illegally using false documents and were planning terrorist activities. They have been charged under Vietnamese terrorism laws.

However, the pro-democracy group Viet Tan tells a different story. It says the men were taken by force in Cambodia and brought into Vietnam against their will. Viet Tan also says the men had planned to fly back to Bangkok that morning, not cross into Vietnam.

The men had no contact with anyone for about two weeks after their arrest. Vietnam considers Viet Tan a terrorist organisation. Viet Tan calls the incident transnational repression.