Melbourne human rights activist disappears in Cambodia as wife urges Albanese government help

Tran Hiep, a 50-year-old Australian Vietnamese activist dedicated to combating human trafficking, has gone missing in Cambodia since September 18th. His wife, Chloe Dang, has urgently appealed to the Australian government for assistance in locating her husband and ensuring his safe return. Hiep was scheduled to return to Bangkok to reunite with his wife after a brief visit to Phnom Penh, where he intended to meet with human rights advocates.

However, he never boarded his flight and has not been in contact with Dang since September 18th, raising serious concerns about his whereabouts and well-being.

Dang, who is currently at Bangkok airport, expressed her deep worry for her husband's safety, emphasizing the need for the Australian government to apply pressure on Cambodia to conduct a thorough investigation into his disappearance. Tran Hiep, a freelance IT professional, co-founded the Australian Alliance to Combat Human Trafficking.

He was traveling with another Vietnamese activist, Nguyen Duc Thuan, who holds a Norwegian passport. Their trip to Cambodia was intended to provide training to dissident Vietnamese activists.

Vietnam has recently intensified its crackdown on dissent, resulting in over 55 activists being arrested under broad criminal laws in 2025. International human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the increasing cooperation between Vietnamese authorities and neighboring countries, which target advocates. Viet Tan, a pro-democracy diaspora political party, described the pair's disappearance as alarming, particularly in light of past cases where Vietnamese dissidents vanished in neighboring countries and were subsequently detained in Vietnam.

Dang, 36, admitted that her husband's prolonged absence had taken a significant psychological toll. "I've been in the dark for 11 days, and I don't know where he is or how he's doing," she tearfully stated. "It's driving me crazy." The Australian government has confirmed that consular officials are in contact with Dang, but they have declined to provide further details.

A department spokesperson confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is offering consular assistance to the family of the Australian man reported missing in Cambodia. The families of the missing individuals have filed an appeal with the United Nations working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, seeking urgent action to locate Tran Hiep and ensure his safety.