UPDATE 24/01/22: January marks three years since Kham was detained and his third birthday behind bars. He should never have been detained in the first place. Call on the Vietnamese authorities to release Chau Van Kham so he can safely return to his family in Australia.

Chau Van Kham, a 72 year old Vietnamese Australian, was detained within hours of arriving in Vietnam in 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for being a member of the political party, Viet Tan. 

Kham’s wife and children have grave concerns for his well being, especially as he suffers from several different health problems.

Prison conditions in Vietnam are notoriously harsh, with regular testimonies from detainees about the poor food quality, lack of drinking water and the absence of adequate medical treatment. Furthermore, prisoners of conscience often face additional harassment, intimidation and ill-treatment.

With no family allowed to visit him, and no lawyers in Vietnam actively working on his case, there is no way to monitor Kham’s health condition and ensure he receives the medical care he needs.

Amnesty considers Kham a prisoner of conscience - detained solely for his peaceful political beliefs.

Call for Kham’s immediate and unconditional release so he can be safely reunited with his family in Australia.