On 6 March, Thai immigration police arrested Vietnamese activist Le Chi Thanh and detained him at Bangkok’s Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre (IDC). Le Chi Thanh is a former police officer who used social media to expose corruption and misconduct within Viet Nam’s public security sector. In 2021 and 2022, he was sentenced to a total of five years in prison on trumped up charges for peacefully expressing his views on social and political issues. Following his release, he lawfully entered Thailand and obtained a work permit after that. Thai authorities claimed that his work permit became invalid after Vietnamese authorities cancelled his passport. Le Chi Thanh was not notified of this cancellation before his arrest. If he is forcibly returned to Viet Nam he is likely to face harm, including torture and other ill-treatment. Le Chi Thanh must be immediately and unconditionally released.
