Human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap faces extradition to Vietnam by Thai authorities based on trumped up terrorism charges
On 15 July 2024, Vietnamese human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap’s extradition inquiry was postponed by the Bangkok Criminal Court on the 1st and 19th of August 2024. This was following his arrest on 11 June 2024 due to ‘overstaying his visa’, putting him at risk of deportation to Vietnam, where he could be subjected to severe persecution. He is currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the extradition trial requested by the Vietnamese Government.
Y Quynh Bdap is a Vietnamese human right defender and a prominent member of the Ede ethnic group, advocating for religious freedom among minority ethnic groups. He is a co-founder of the Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ) that aims to train Montagnards on Vietnamese and international law, civil society, how to collect and report information regarding freedom of religion to the United Nations and international community. The term “Montagnards” describes to around 30 indigenous groups living in Vietnam’s Central Highlands that have been struggling for their religious rights and land rights for many years. Y Quynh Bdap has been involved in preparing reports to the United Nations on religious persecution in Vietnam. After seeking asylum to Thailand in 2018, he was granted refugee status by the UNHCR.
On 15 July 2024, Vietnamese human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap’s extradition inquiry was postponed by the Bangkok Criminal Court to the 1st and 19th of August 2024. This was following his arrest on 11 June 2024 due to ‘overstaying his visa’, putting him at risk of deportation to Vietnam, where he could be subjected to severe persecution. He is currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison pending the extradition trial requested by the Vietnamese Government.
Y Quynh Bdap is a Vietnamese human right defender and a prominent member of the Ede ethnic group, advocating for religious freedom among minority ethnic groups. He is a co-founder of the Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ) that aims to train Montagnards on Vietnamese and international law, civil society, how to collect and report information regarding freedom of religion to the United Nations and international community. The term “Montagnards” describes to around 30 indigenous groups living in Vietnam’s Central Highlands that have been struggling for their religious rights and land rights for many years. Y Quynh Bdap has been involved in preparing reports to the United Nations on religious persecution in Vietnam. After seeking asylum to Thailand in 2018, he was granted refugee status by the UNHCR.
On 01 August 2024, four witnesses will be presented by the petitioners and four from the respondents on 19 August 2024, to the Bangkok Criminal Court. The upcoming hearings will determine whether or not Y Quynh Bdap’s extradition to Vietnam will be set in motion. The extradition inquiry was postponed on 15 July 2024 after Y Quyn Bdap’s lawyer cited the late receipt of the extradition application and restricted visitation times which hindered the preparation for the inquiry, and requested that the documents be made available in a language that the human rights defender can understand.
On 11 June 2024, Y Quyn Bdap was arrested by the Thai authorities citing on the basis of “overstaying” his visa after residing in the country since 2018 following an extradition request from Vietnamese authorities. The human rights defender was convicted of terrorism in absentia to a 10-year imprisonment back in January 2024 by the People’s Court of Dak Lak province, in relation to an attack in the province in June 2023. Y Quyn Bdap raises concern over increased risks of facing torture, mistreatment, and enforced disappearance if extradited to Vietnam.
During the hearing, the court relocated the proceedings from courtroom 807 to 701 to accomodate approximately 50 trial observers including representatives from civil society organizations, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, and the international community, including representatives from several embassies, the European Union, and OHCHR. The court was also informed by the prosecutors that nine high-level Vietnamese state security officials were also present to observe the trial.
Front Line Defenders expresses grave concern with the arrest and subsequent detention of human rights defender Y Quyn Bdap. The organization also highltights the risk of his deportation to Vietnam, as it believes he may face persecution for his legitimate and peaceful human rights work. This situation adds to a growing list of cases of refoulement of human rights defenders from one country to another in Asia.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Thailand to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap;
- Cease the extradition trial requested by the Vietnamese Government, as this would contravene the principle of non-refoulement and expose him to potential harm and persecution.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Vietnam to:
- Immediately and unconditional drop all charges against human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap;
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Thailand are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
