Boat People SOS (BPSOS)

Cases

Relevant SG report

From Country

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 14.058324

Longitude: 108.277199

From Region

UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report

Individual's/organization's activity: advocacy for religious freedom in Viet Nam

Type of rights defended

Engagement with UN body

Type of attempted engagement

Reprisal information

On 14 February 2025, a few months after BPSOS submissions to human rights mechanisms were made public on OHCHR’s website, the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam publicly announced on its website and on social media that BPSOS was involved in “terrorism” and “works closely with MSFJ, that had carried out the terrorist attack on 11 June 2023 in Dak Lak Province.”
BPSOS denies involvement in terrorism and views the designation as a pretext for further suppressing Vietnamese groups in exile, particularly those that document and expose human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities and Indigenous Peoples.

Types of reprisals suffered

Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?: No

Government response content

On 31 July 2025, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report, reaffirming its Human Rights Policy, expressing readiness for dialogue and information sharing with the UN and requesting a reassessment of the credibility of the sources of the allegations and to exclude the allegations from the report.
With regard to MSFJ, Mr. Bdap and BPSOS, the Government objected to the use of the term “Montagnard” in United Nations official documents to refer to any ethnic group in Viet Nam, citing its colonial and discriminatory origins. It highlighted its counter- terrorism legal framework and stated that it has credible evidence of MSFJ’s terrorist nature and Mr. Bdap’s direct role in the 11 June 2023 Dak Lak attack, which resulted in the killing of nine people, the injury of two others, and significant property damage. The Government noted MSFJ’s designation as a terrorist organization on 6 March 2024, based on a court judgement issued on 20 January 2024. The Government further stated that BPSOS incited hatred and supported individuals and organizations acting against Viet Nam, including MSFJ and its members post designation, while purporting to provide refugee assistance.

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?: No

Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?: No

Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?: No

#EndReprisals