Mr. Y Quynh Bdap, a Vietnamese refugee and prominent advocate for religious freedom among minority ethnic groups, has been at the forefront of the struggle for human rights in Vietnam. He founded Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ) to empower Montagnard communities with knowledge on Vietnamese and international law, civil society, and how to document and report religious persecution to international bodies like the United Nations.
After fleeing Vietnam in 2018 due to his activism, Mr. Bdap was granted refugee status by the UNHCR in Thailand. On June 11, 2024, Mr. Bdap was arrested by Thai police following a conviction in absentia by a Vietnamese court for terrorism, relating to an incident in Dak Lak province in June 2023. Mr. Bdap has strongly denied any involvement in this attack, asserting that his human rights work is strictly peaceful and non-violent.
On July 15, 2024, the Bangkok Criminal Court postponed the extradition inquiry of Mr. Bdap to August 1 and 19, 2024. The decision on his extradition will be crucial, as returning to Vietnam poses severe risks of torture, inhumane treatment, and enforced disappearance.
“Press Conference on the Case of Mr. Y Quynh Bdap, A Vietnamese Refugee at Risk of Extradition”
25 July 2024
14:00 – 16:00
The Fort (27 Soi Sukhumvit 51)
Highlights
13.30 – 14.00 – Open for registration
14.00 – 14.05 – Welcome remarks and house rules
14.05 – 14.10 – Video message from a representative of Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ)
14.10 – 15.10 – Sanhawan Srisod , Legal Advisor at International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
Sunai Phasuk ,Senior Researcher on Thailand in Human Rights Watch’s Asia division
Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong , Amnesty International’s Thailand Researcher
Angkhana Neelapaijit ,Former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand
15.10 – 15.40 – Q&A Session
Summary of key points, summary of statement from Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders
Video message from Heiner Bielefeldt, Professor of Human Rights at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg and Former Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
Livestreaming at FB page: Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) (Thai) and มูลนิธิสิทธิเพื่อสันติภาพ – Peace Rights Foundation (Eng) , and The Fort (Thai,Eng)
