Acting Australian Prime Minister Richard Marles said Chau Van Kham was released on humanitarian grounds and “in the spirit of friendship” between Australia and Vietnam. The Vietnamese government declared the California-based Viet Tan, or Vietnam Reform Party, a terrorist organization in 2016, accusing it of recruiting and training armed operatives. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese traveled to Vietnam last month to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. “We share the happy news that Mr Chau Van Kham is well and has returned to his family today,” the statement said, according to Amnesty. Pearson said Kham was one of more than 150 political prisoners detained in Vietnam for peaceful acts of free expression.

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Persons: Australia CNN —, Richard Marles, ” Marles, Viet Tan, Tan, it’s, Anthony Albanese, Kham’s, Dan Nguyen, Chau, “, ” Elaine Pearson, Pearson, Kham, Pham Doan Trang, Mai Phan, Dang Dinh Bach, Hoang, Hong, ” Pearson Organizations: Australia CNN, Australian, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Vietnam Reform Party, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Human Rights Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Sydney, Vietnam, California, United States, Asia