A/HRC/54/61 26. Viet Nam 138. The cases of several members of independent religious communities and activists who attended or sought to attend the Southeast Asia Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference (SEAFORB) were included in the 2019 report of the Secretary-General177 on allegation of threats, harassment, travel restrictions and acts of violence that either prevented their participation or took place as a result of it (VNM 2/2020). The SEAFORB Conference includes interaction with the United Nations and awareness-raising about how to engage with United Nations human rights mechanisms. 139. On 28 April 2023, special procedures mandate holders addressed the alleged arbitrary arrest, threats, surveillance, undue travel restrictions and harassment of Mr. Y Khiu Niê and Mr. Y Sĩ Êban, human rights defenders belonging to the “Montagnards” indigenous community and religious minority of Christian Protestants, which prevented them from participating in the SEAFORB Conference, held in Bali (Indonesia) in November 2022 (VNM 2/2023). On 6 November 2022, Mr. Niê and Mr. Êban were reportedly not allowed to board the plane from Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) and were interrogated by the police about their motive to attend the SEAFORB conference. Police allegedly threatened Mr. Niê with imprisonment and forced him to sign a document stating that he will cease all communication with international human rights organizations, specifically for the purpose of submitting information to the United Nations and foreign governments. During the interrogations, the police officers allegedly informed that Mr. Niê had been under surveillance. Mr. Niê and Mr. Êban were both released hours later. Mandate holders noted that these restrictions might amount to intimidation and reprisals for cooperating or attempting to cooperate with the United Nations, its representatives, and mechanisms in the field of human rights. They expressed concern about the chilling effect of the restrictions, which could inhibit cooperation with the United Nations and lead to selfcensorship (VNM 2/2020). 140. The case of Ms. Pham Doan Trang, a blogger, journalist, and democracy activist, was included in the 2022 report of the Secretary-General 178 on allegations of long-term arbitrary detention and lengthy sentencing for sharing reports on the human rights situation in the country with the United Nations and other international actors. Ms. Trang was the subject of several communications by special procedures mandate holders179 and an Opinion by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention180 in 2021, which found her deprivation of liberty arbitrary. On 2 November 2022, special procedures mandate holders addressed Ms. Trang’s detention, including alleged restriction of her right to family visits and her deteriorating health status (VNM 6/2022). On 7 September 2022, Ms. Trang was allowed to meet her mother and brother for the first time since her arrest in October 2020. On 1 October 2022, without any prior notification to her family, Ms. Trang was transferred to An Phuoc prison, in Binh Duong province. In October 2022, Ms Trang’s family was allowed to visit her. Ms. Trang is allegedly not receiving adequate health care in detention (VNM 6/2022). 141. The case of Ms. Bui Thi Kim Phuong, the wife of Mr. Nguyen Bac Truyen,181 was included in the 2019 and 2021 reports of the Secretary-General182 on allegations of police action to prevent her in 2018 from meeting with OHCHR in the country and travel restrictions that did not allow her in 2019 to travel to Geneva to engage with the Human Rights 177 178 179 180 181 182 72 A/HRC/45/36 para. 124, Annex I paras. 146–151 and 154. A/HRC/51/47, Annex II paras. 82–85. VNM 3/2020; VNM 5/2020, and VNM 6/2021. See government replies at https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35828; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35948; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=36751. A/HRC/WGAD/2021/40. A/HRC/30/29, para. 42; A/HRC/42/30, Annex II para. 110 and 113. See also VNM 4/2014; VNM 11/2014; VNM 8/2016; VNM 6/2017. See government replies at: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=32016; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=32686; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=33363. A/HRC/42/30, Annex I para. 120; A/HRC/48/28, Annex I para. 126. GE.23-15378