The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) strongly condemns the sudden extradition from Thailand to Vietnam of Montagnard human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap. The Observatory also urges authorities in the two countries to end and prevent acts of transnational repression against human rights defenders and demand the Vietnamese authorities to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of Y Quynh Bdap and all other human rights defenders in the country.

UN experts* today expressed deep concern over the extradition of Vietnamese Montagnard human rights defender and UNHCR-recognised refugee Y Quynh Bdăp from Thailand to Viet Nam, warning that his return exposes him to a serious risk of torture or other ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and other grave human rights violations.

The Cross-Cultural Foundation has filed a complaint against Thai government officials under the Anti-Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, after it learned that the Thai authorities had already extradited Montagnard human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap back to Vietnam.

The Appeal Court ruled on Wednesday (26 November) to approve a request to extradite Montagnard human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap to Vietnam, where he would face 10 years in prison on terrorism charges.

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) strongly condemns the potential forced extradition of Montagnard refugee and human rights activist Y Quynh Bdap from Thailand to Vietnam, where he would be at risk of torture, enforced disappearance, or other serious human rights abuses.

33 civil society organisations have issued a joint statement demanding that the Thai government protect Y Quynh Bdap, a UNHCR-recognised Montagnard refugee, and under no circumstances extradite him to Vietnam, where he is likely to face imprisonment and torture.

Thai Criminal Court has approved the deportation of an ethnic minority human rights defender following Vietnam’s request. His fate is now in the hands of the Thai government, which will decide whether to extradite him or not. If deported, he would face 10 years imprisonment on terrorism charges.

Amnesty International has called on Thai authorities not to forcibly return a Montagnard and Ede Indigenous human rights activist to Viet Nam where he would be at severe risk of torture. His extradition hearing will be held next week.

UN experts have raised concerns about Vietnam's request to Thailand to extradite Y Quynh Bdap, a Montagnard religious freedom activist and refugee, who is being held in a detention facility in Bangkok, awaiting his extradition hearing next month. They called on the Thai authorities to refuse his extradition to Vietnam, where he is likely to face torture and ill-treatment, and to recognise in domestic law the refugee status of Montagnard people, who are indigenous peoples and religious minorities in Vietnam and often face discrimiation and other ill-treatment.

Human Rights Watch has called on the Thai government to release Y Quynh Bdap, a Montagnard religious freedom activist and refugee, and ensure that he will not be sent back to Vietnam, where he faces a risk of an unfair trial and ill-treatment by Vietnamese authorities.