The Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) vehemently condemns the brutal and inhumane treatment inflicted upon Khmer-Krom activist Mr. To Hoang Chuong by the police of Soc Trang province. This reprehensible incident took place on June 23, 2023, when Mr. Chuong and his fellow activists from Tra Vinh province visited Mr. Lam Vong, who had endured arrest, detention, and torture by the Soc Trang police before his release on June 20, following 33 hours of unjust captivity.

During their visit to Mr. Vong, they proceeded to meet with another Khmer-Krom activist, Mr. Danh Minh Quang. However, on their way to Mr. Quang's residence, their vehicle was forcefully halted by the police, who subsequently apprehended them and took them into custody at the local police station. Around 1 pm, Mr. To Hoang Chuong was explicitly targeted by the police, triggering a series of regrettable events.

Upon entering the interrogation room, Mr. To Hoang Chuong was immediately subjected to physical abuse. Without any provocation or questioning, one of the officers ruthlessly struck him with a direct blow to his forehead, resulting in significant swelling and excruciating pain. The subsequent interrogation involved multiple officers asking him various questions regarding his advocacy work. Each time Mr. Chuong maintained his innocence and asserted that the distribution of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was not a criminal act, he was met with further violence and menacing threats. He was forced to sign the confession to be released at 6:30 pm after five and half hours of facing interrogation and torture.

This incident starkly illustrates the flagrant use of torture and intimidation by the Vietnamese authorities against individuals advocating for the rights of the Khmer-Krom, the indigenous peoples of the Mekong Delta. Such actions unequivocally violate Vietnam's obligations under the UN Convention against Torture, a treaty that the country has ratified.