The following is based on a communication written by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Viet Nam on 21 July 2025. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government time to reply. The Government replied on 7 October 2025.
On 1 September 2025, four of the imprisoned Khmer-Krom activists were released after nearly eight months of incommunicado detention: Mr. Thach Ve Sanal, Mr. Thach Nha, Mr. Kim Khu, and Venerable Thach Chop. However, eleven other Khmer-Krom activists remain arbitrarily detained: Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra, Mr. Kim Khiem, Venerable Duong Khai, Venerable Thach Quy Lay, Venerable Kim Sa Ruong, Venerable Kim Som Rinh, Mr. Thach Nga, Mr. Danh Minh Quang, Mr. To Hoang Chuong, Mr. Thach Cuong, and Mr. Thach Xuan Dong. Mr. Thach Xuan Dong’s trial, which was scheduled for 30 September, was delayed for unknown reasons.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
BACKGROUND
Topic: 17 Khmer Krom individuals, including human rights defenders, activists, Theravada Buddhist monks and followers, including Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra, Mr. Kim Khiem, Mr. Thach Ve Sanal, Venerable Duong Khai, Venerable Thach Quy Lay, Venerable Kim Sa Ruong, Venerable Thach Chop, Mr. Thach Nha, Mr. Kim Khu, Venerable Kim Som Rinh, Mr. Thach Nga, Mr. Thach Xuan Dong, Mr. Danh Minh Quang, Mr. To Hoang Chuong, Mr. Thach Cuong, Mr. Danh Set and Mr. Lam Vong, who have been arbitrarily arrested and deprived of their liberty for ostensibly exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of association and assembly, and their linguistic and cultural rights, including their right to speak and transmit their language, sentenced based on vague legal provisions, and in some cases, allegedly subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment during pretrial detention.
Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra is the abbot of the Tro Nom Sek temple and a human rights defender of the rights of Khmer Krom Indigenous People. He was engaged in disseminating information about the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and used social media to condemn religious suppression in the country. As Abbot, he had been resisting pressure from the authorities to merge his Theravada Buddhist congregation into the state-sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS).
Mr. Kim Khiem is a follower of the Tro Nom Sek temple.
Mr. Thach Ve Sanal is a follower of the Tro Nom Sek temple.
Venerable Duong Khai is a monk at the Tro Nom Sek temple and a human rights defender, known for his activism regarding the rights of the Khmer Krom Indigenous People. Before being ordained, he worked together with other Khmer Krom youth to disseminate online and offline Vietnamese and Khmer language translations of the UNDRIP.
Venerables Thach Quy Lay, Kim Sa Ruong, and Thach Chop are monks at the Tro Nom Sek temple.
Mr. Thach Nha and Mr. Kim Khu are followers of the Tro Nom Sek temple.
Venerable Kim Som Rinh is a religious leader in the Khmer Krom community in Tra Vinh province.
Mr. Thach Nga and Mr. Thach Xuan Dong are human rights defenders advocating for the rights of the Khmer Krom Indigenous People. They previously attended and organized peaceful ceremonies such as the celebration of the adoption of the UNDRIP, the Human Rights Day, and International Women’s Day.
Mr. Danh Minh Quang is a human rights defender, advocating for the rights of the Khmer Krom Indigenous Peoples.
Mr. To Hoang Chuong and Mr. Thach Cuong are human rights defenders, who advocate for the rights of Khmer Krom Indigenous Peoples, including the right to practice their religion independent from state interference. They were involved in disseminating the UNDRIP online and among community members.
Mr. Danh Set and Mr. Lam Vong are activists who live in Soc Trang province.
The Khmer Krom are Indigenous People who live predominantly in the Mekong Delta region in Viet Nam, which they have continuously inhabited for thousands of years. In the Khmer language, the area is known as Kampuchea-Krom. The Khmer Krom are one of the largest Indigenous Peoples in Viet Nam. Their language, Khmer, is part of the larger Mon-Khmer language family. Most Khmer Krom are adherents of the Khmer style of Theravada Buddhism, while a minority are Roman Catholic.
Special Procedures’ mandate holders have previously raised their concerns with the Vietnamese Government concerning the alleged pattern of arrest, detention, prosecution, and ill-treatment of Khmer Krom human rights defenders, Theravada Buddhist monks and followers, including Venerable Duong Khai, Mr. Thach Cuong, and Mr. Danh Set, the alleged violations of their rights to freedom of expression, association, freedom of religion or belief, as well as their linguistic and cultural rights, and the failure of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to recognize the right to self-determination of the Khmer Krom Indigenous Peoples (see AL VNM 3/2021 and AL VNM 5/2022). We thank the Government for its responses dated 20 September 2021 to the letter AL VNM 3/2021 and 10 May 2023 to the letter AL VNM 5/2022. We regret, however, that the replies do not address the specific allegations of arbitrary arrest, intimidation, due process violations, and ill-treatment raised in the communications. The replies frame the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms, including peaceful advocacy for cultural and religious rights, as threats to national unity or public order. We are further concerned that the Government’s responses conflate human rights advocacy with extremism, thereby dismissing the serious and credible concerns raised regarding the treatment of members of the Khmer Krom community. We reiterate that the invocation of national security or public order must not be used to restrict rights guaranteed under international human rights law.
Furthermore, concerns about the use of broadly defined provisions on national security, public order and online expression to penalize the peaceful exercise of fundamental freedoms, resulting in arbitrary arrest, detention and disproportionate sentencing of human rights defenders and activists, were formally raised by Special Procedures in communications OL VNM 7/2021 and OL VNM 6/2023. While we thank the Government for its reply to OL VNM 7/2021, dated 27 April 2022, we regret not receiving a reply to OL VNM 6/2023.
ALLEGATIONS
Right to self-determination
Despite voting in favour of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (hereinafter “UNDRIP”) on 13 September 2007, the Government of Viet Nam has not developed any specific legislation on Indigenous Peoples, or ethnic minorities. Moreover, the Government does not use the term “Indigenous Peoples” to refer to any of the 54 recognized ethnic groups in the country, including the Khmer Krom who self-identify as such.
Freedom of religion or belief
Although the Vietnamese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion or belief, significant restrictions persist under the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion (Law No. 02/2016/QH14) and its implementing Decree No. 95/2023/ND-CP. These legal instruments impose severe constraints on religious groups, particularly those not recognized by the State as religious organizations or not affiliated with a registered religious entity. Authorities retain broad discretion to approve, deny, or indefinitely delay registration requests, often invoking national security and social unity as justification for such decisions.
Within this context, Khmer Krom Theravada Buddhists remain unrecognized as a religious organization, a status that has resulted in serious adverse consequences for its practitioners. This lack of recognition has effectively denied them access to key human rights protections.[1] Khmer Krom Buddhists, including monks, regularly face restrictions on accessing and storing religious texts, and are prohibited from exchanging information with diaspora communities. They also encounter significant obstacles in obtaining permission to conduct religious ceremonies such as prayers and funerals, or to renovate temples. In addition, followers and monks have been subjected to threats, intimidation, surveillance, and documented patterns of reprisals.
These ongoing concerns regarding the barriers faced by religion or belief minority communities unaffiliated with officially recognized organizations, particularly in exercising collective religious practices, were raised in previous communications addressed to the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (see AL VNM 8/2016, AL VNM 9/2018, AL VNM 4/2022 and AL VNM 5/2022).
The dispute around the Tro Nom Sek temple in Vinh Long province and arrests of five Khmer Krom monks and four followers
The Tro Nom Sek temple in Vinh Long province has long served as a spiritual, cultural, and educational hub for the Khmer Krom Theravada Buddhist community and operated independently of the state-sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). The dispute over the temple is reportedly rooted in longstanding efforts by Vietnamese authorities to impose control over this independent temple, which has been met with resistance by monks and local followers, particularly when the authorities attempted to remove or replace the abbot and restrict the temple’s autonomy.
In March 2022, local authorities attempted to cut down a 700-year-old sacred tree on the temple grounds, a culturally significant landmark, prompting resistance from the abbot and monks. Later that year, in October 2022, local officials notified the monks that a court in Vinh Long had ruled for the demolition of a lecture hall linked to the temple, claiming the structure had been built illegally. The monks and community members objected, stressing that the hall was not only a place of worship but also served essential educational and cultural functions, including Khmer Krom language classes for local children and community events. In November 2022, Tro Nom Sek abbot and monks returning from collecting offerings were stopped by Police and threatened with fines and arrest, marking another spike in harassment. The incident was recorded and livestreamed on Facebook.
The tensions between the community and local authorities escalated significantly between late 2023 and early 2024. In November 2023, authorities and unidentified assailants reportedly raided the temple and disrupted Khmer language classes, injuring the abbot and two followers. Subsequent months saw increased repression. On 26 March 2024, the abbot was arrested under article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code, which criminalizes “Abusing democratic freedoms.” On 28 March 2024, the Police detained four more monks and two followers during a raid on the temple. Just days later, on 1 April 2024, authorities demolished the lecture hall used for Khmer language education, citing lack of construction permits, and detained another follower who opposed the demolition.
The situation surrounding the Tro Nom Sek temple appears to reflect a broader pattern of pressure on independent religion or belief institutions and Indigenous Peoples in Viet Nam. The actions, often aimed at pressuring the temple to affiliate with the state-sanctioned VBS, raise concerns about the use of administrative and legal tools in ways that may restrict the legitimate exercise of freedom of religion or belief as well as the exercise of cultural rights to maintain and transmit one’s language and practices.
Overall, in connection with this dispute, five Khmer Krom Theravada Buddhist monks and four followers have been arrested and sentenced up to six years in prison:
Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra and Mr. Kim Khiem
On 22 March 2022, Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra was among the monks and follower who resisted an attempt by local authorities to cut a sacred 700-year-old tree at the temple. On 28 November 2022, the Vinh Long Police stopped him and other monks, while they were on their routine trip to collect food offerings from nearby villages and reportedly threatened them of arrest and fines. This episode was livestreamed on a Facebook page. On 22 November 2023, local authorities and unknown assailants raided the Tro Nom Sek temple and clashed with Khmer Krom Buddhist monks and followers present on the site, as temple goers attempted to prevent the Police from arresting the monks. During the clash, Mr. Kim Khiem was reportedly injured after the Police beat him with an electric baton. On 3 December 2023, the VBS and provincial authorities visited the Temple and the threatened to disavow Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra as a Buddhist monk. The VBS failed to defrock Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra due to the resistance of the Khmer Krom community.
On 26 March 2024, Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra and Mr. Kim Khiem were arrested by Vinh Long Police, while returning from conducting a blessing at a nearby religious hall. The two men were held incommunicado for several hours, before the online newspaper of the Department of Internal Security of Vinh Long Police reported that they had been detained. Both men were charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code). Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra was also forcibly defrocked. Soon after his arrest, the Government appointed a monk affiliated with the VBS to replace him.
On 26 November 2024, a Court in Vinh Long province sentenced Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra to six years in prison and Mr. Kim Khiem to three years in prison. During pre-trial detention, both men were reportedly denied access to legal counsel and their families, as well as adequate medical care. Observers reported that during the trial, Venerable Thach Chanh Da Ra showed signs of mental distress, possibly resulting from mistreatment in custody.
Mr. Thach Ve Sanal
Mr. Thach Ve Sanal was arrested by Vinh Long Police on 26 March 2024 and charged with “Illegally arresting, holding, or detaining people” (article 157 of the 2015 Criminal Code). The charges stem from his alleged role in preventing authorities from arresting other monks during the Police raid to the Tro Nom Sek temple on 22 November 2023, despite there being no evidence he used force or threats. On 26 November 2024, a court in Vinh Long province sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. Reports suggest he was coerced into confessing under duress.
Venerables Duong Khai, Thach Quy Lay, Kim Sa Ruong, and Thach Chop On 5 January 2023, Venerable Duong Khai was ordained as a Theravada Buddhist monk. As he continued to face harassment and surveillance by the authorities in Dong Nai province for disseminating information on Indigenous Peoples rights, Venerable Duong Khai took refuge at Tro Nom Sek temple in Vinh Long province. There, he lived together with Venerables Thach Quy Lay, Kim Sa Ruong, and Thach Chop.
On 28 March 2024, Venerables Duong Khai, Thach Quy Lay, Kim Sa Ruong, and Thach Chop were arrested at the Tro Nom Sek temple, during a raid by the Vinh Long Police. During the arrest, the Police reportedly dragged Venerable Duong Khai from the temple by force and beat him. All four monks were forcibly defrocked and charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code). On 26 November 2024, a Court in Vinh Long province sentenced Venerable Duong Khai to five years and nine months in prison, while Venerables Thach Quy Lay, Kim Sa Ruong, and Thach Chop were sentenced to two years in prison. Reportedly, the monks were denied access to legal representation and were coerced into signing false statements while in custody.
Mr. Thach Nha
Mr. Thach Nha was arrested by Vinh Long Police on 28 March 2024, during a Police raid on the Tro Nom Sek temple. He had reportedly tried to intervene to prevent the unlawful defrocking and arrest of four Khmer Krom Buddhist monks. Authorities charged him with “Illegally arresting, holding, or detaining people” (article 157 of the 2015 Criminal Code)”, alleging that he obstructed Police officers in the performance of their duties. On 26 November 2024, a Court in Vinh Long province sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. During the trial, no credible evidence has been presented indicating that Mr. Nha used force or detained anyone unlawfully. According to observers, his actions were limited to peacefully questioning the legality of the raid and calling for due process. The prosecution relied on coerced testimony and did not allow independent legal counsel to represent him.
Mr. Kim Khu
In the morning of 1 April 2024, local authorities demolished the lecture hall used for Khmer language education near the Tro Nom Sek temple, citing lack of construction permits. Mr. Kim Khu attempted to oppose the destruction of the hall and as a result Vinh Long Police arrested him. He was subsequently charged with “Abusing democratic freedom” (Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code). On 26 November 2024, a Court in Vinh Long province sentenced him to two years in prison. The trial was conducted without public notice, and his legal representation remains unknown.
Freedom of expression online and offline
Concerns persist regarding the vague and overly broad provisions of Viet Nam’s Criminal Code (Law No. 100/2015/QH13), particularly article 117, which criminalizes “Making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam,” and article 331, which penalizes “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, lawful rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens”. These provisions have reportedly been used to impose criminal and administrative penalties on individuals, including among members of the Khmer Krom community, for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
In addition, a range of legal instruments such as the 2018 Law on Cybersecurity, Decree No. 15/2020/ND-CP on administrative violations related to information and communication technologies, Decree No. 53/2022/ND-CP elaborating on the Cybersecurity Law, and the recently adopted Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP on the management and use of internet services and cyberinformation, have been used to further restrict online expression, including among members of the Khmer Krom community.
Additional cases of the alleged arbitrary arrest, questioning, detention, incommunicado detention, torture and ill-treatment, and sentencing of Khmer Krom community members in relation to their online and offline exercise of fundamental freedoms and activism to promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples include the following:
Venerable Kim Som Rinh
On 25 March 2024, Venerable Kim Som Rinh was stripped of his monk status by the VBS. According to the VBS, the defrocking was due to the fact that Venerable Kim Som Rinh refused three times to accept an invitation from the state-run Patriotic Monks’ Solidarity Association of Tra Vinh province; that he posted or shared untrue images and videos on social networking sites with content that “caused insecurity and threatened social order”; that he invited monks and Buddhists to participate in his own activities, causing “disunity in the temple and the community”; and that he is an ordained monk, “who is difficult to teach, stubborn and does not comply with the canon law and teachings of the abbot and leaders at all levels of the association”.
On 27 March 2025, Tra Vinh Police arrested Venerable Kim Som Rinh. He was charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code). He is currently held in pre-trial detention. Relatives reported that the has been denied access to legal counsel and the right to family visitation.
Mr. Thach Nga and Mr. Thach Xuan Dong
On 8 March 2025, local authorities barred Mr. Thach Xuan Dong from attending the International Women’s Day. The previous day, Mr. Thach Nga’s home was placed under surveillance by the Police. However, he managed to elude monitoring and attended the event.
On 27 March 2025, Tra Vinh Police arrested Mr. Thach Nga and Mr. Thach Xuan Dong. They were charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code) and are currently held in pre-trial detention. Relatives report that the two have been denied access to legal counsel and the right to family visitation.
Mr. Danh Minh Quang
On 3 March 2023, Mr. Danh Minh Quang was temporarily detained and reportedly tortured by Soc Trang Police. During the interrogation, he was reportedly asked about his activism for the rights of Khmer Krom, forced to sign documents pledging not to participate in community activities and warned explicitly to stop all activism, especially any references to human rights and UN documents, possibly indicating reprisal motives related to perceived cooperation with UN Human Rights Mechanisms. In May 2023, Mr. Danh Minh Quang participated in a meeting with the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), during their visit to Viet Nam.
Mr. Danh Minh Quang was again arrested by Soc Trang Police on 31 July 2023 and charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code) for using his personal social media accounts “to post and live-stream videos which violated Vietnamese laws”. His home was searched and electronic devices seized. On 7 February 2024, a Court in Soc Trang province sentenced him to three years and six months in prison. While in custody, he was reportedly subjected to beatings and threats, including a warning that he could “disappear” like others if he did not stop his activism. Authorities denied him legal counsel, and his family was not informed of his trial date.
Mr. To Hoang Chuong and Mr. Thach Cuong
Because of his peaceful activism, on 20 June 2023, Mr. To Hoang Chuong was detained by Soc Trang Police and reportedly hit in the head when he was interrogated, resulting in swelling and pain. During detention, he was reportedly questioned about posts referencing international human rights norms, raising concerns of reprisal for perceived cooperation with UN Human Rights Mechanisms.
On 30 July 2022, Mr. Thach Cuong was held in custody and interrogated by Ho Chi Minh City Police. At that time, Mr. Thach Cuong was together with another Khmer Krom youth, Mr. Duong Khai, in Ho Chi Minh City, where they were planning to meet with the owner of a restaurant to discuss organization of a Khmer Krom cultural dinner ever. The information about the event was posted on social media. Once arrived at the location, Mr. Thach Cuong and Mr. Duong Khai found the Police waiting for them. They were reportedly held in custody and brought to a Police station in the city, where they were interrogated for several hours, in separate rooms, about the Khmer Krom event they wanted to organize. At around mid-night, the two were released.
On 31 July 2023, Mr. To Hoang Chuong and Mr. Thach Cuong were arrested by Tra Vinh Police and subsequently charged with “Abusing democratic freedoms” (article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code). On 20 March 2024, in a closed-door trial, a Court in Tra Vinh province sentenced Mr. To Hoang Chuong to four years in prison and Mr. Thach Cuong to three years and six months in prison. Their families were not informed of the trial date, and they were denied legal representation. On 23 May 2024, the Appellate Court in Tra Vinh province upheld the first instance sentence. During their detention, both men were reportedly interrogated about their online activities and support for Buddhist monks and Indigenous Peoples rights. They were reportedly coerced into making false confessions.
Mr. Danh Set
Mr. Danh Set was detained and questioned by the Soc Trang Police on 18 February 2022. During the interrogation, the Police reportedly questioned him about sharing information on the Internet, his contact with Khmer Krom individuals outside Viet Nam, and with Mr. Duong Khai. He reported being threatened with imprisonment and that his family’s livelihood would be targeted if he did not cooperate. Mr. Danh Set was allegedly hit on the head with a water bottle during the interrogation and forced to sign a confession letter in which he accused Mr. Duong Khai. Mr. Danh Set was finally released on 19 February 2022, after he accepted to sign the letter. He was denied access to a lawyer during the entire process of interrogation and no legal documents were provided to him with the reasons of his temporary detention.
On 31 March 2023, Mr. Danh Set was summoned to Soc Trang Police headquarters. He had recently attended a Khmer Krom cultural celebration. He was detained for over 24 hours, during which Police subjected him to continuous questioning without food or water. Authorities forced him to sign a false confession implicating other Khmer Krom activists and organizations, including the Khmers Kampuchea Krom Federation, in illegal activities. During the interrogation, Mr. Danh Set was threatened with economic siege. The Police made it clear that if he did not stop his peaceful advocacy work, his family members would face severe economic consequences. He was released without charges.
Mr. Lam Vong
Mr. Lam Vong was arrested on 19 June 2023 by Soc Trang Police after visiting a fellow activist’s home. He was detained for 33 hours and subjected to physical abuse. Mr. Lam Vong was released at 7 p.m. on 20 June 2023, after 33 hours of detention. His detention was not documented in official records, and he was released without charge. During interrogation, the Soc Trang Police reportedly asked him about his advocacy work, including the distribution of the UNDRIP, the promotion of Khmer Krom identity, and his wearing T-shirts featuring symbols such as the indigenous Khmer Krom flag. He was reportedly forced to reveal contacts with Khmer Krom activists and threatened with further reprisals.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we express grave concern that the information received may indicate a consistent and systemic pattern of arrest, detention, including undocumented and short-term detention prosecution, and ill-treatment of Khmer Krom individuals, including human rights defenders, youth, Theravada Buddhist monks, and followers. These actions appear to be aimed at repressing their peaceful efforts to assert Indigenous Peoples’ identity, exercise their cultural rights through the promotion and transmission of their cultural and linguistic heritage, and exercise their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. We are further alarmed by reports of intimidation and coercion targeting individuals who self-identify as Indigenous Peoples, which may amount to de facto policies of forced religious and ethnic assimilation in violation of international human rights standards.
Furthermore, the alleged incidents suggest a broader strategy of intimidation directed at religious leaders and members of independent minority religion or belief groups, aimed at preventing them from engaging in legitimate and peaceful activities, including observing international commemorative days, disseminating United Nations standards such as the UNDRIP, and cooperating with civil society and UN human rights mechanisms. The reported suppression of such activities not only undermines the freedoms of expression, religion or belief, and association, but also has a profound chilling effect on broader civic space, deterring others, particularly human rights defenders, from raising concerns related to the rights of Indigenous Peoples and marginalized communities.
We remind the Vietnamese Government of its obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to respect, protect and fulfil the rights to liberty and security of person, freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief, cultural rights and the full rights of minorities to enjoy their own culture, profess and practice their religion, and use their own language. We urge the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all detained individuals, prevent further acts of harassment or intimidation against members of the Khmer Krom community, and guarantee that no one is criminalized or retaliated against for peaceful human rights advocacy.
[1] A/HRC/28/66/Add.2, Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner Bielefeld, p.16.
