Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia visits 11 fishermen arrested in Sabah state

According to a VNA correspondent in Malaysia, in an effort to protect citizens and contribute to removing the European Commission's "yellow card" for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia has sent officials to Sabah state to visit 11 Vietnamese fishermen who are being detained for illegal fishing.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tran Trung, First Secretary of the Embassy, ​​the working trip was conducted with the coordination and support of the Malaysian Federal authorities and the Sabah State government. 11 fishermen from two unregistered fishing vessels, arrested by Malaysian authorities on September 15, are currently being detained in Kota Kinabalu.

During the meeting, the Embassy representative discussed with the leaders of the Sabah Prison Management Department, representatives of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) of Sabah state and the Kota Kinabalu Prison Management Board to understand the situation of the case, detention conditions as well as the investigation progress of the Malaysian side.

Through direct contact, the Embassy representative said that the fishermen's health and spirit are generally stable. The Embassy has requested the detention center to support them with food and essential necessities, ensuring minimum living conditions during their detention.

According to the results of the consular interview, these fishermen said that they were organized by two brokers to go to Malaysia to illegally exploit seafood, seriously violating the laws of both Vietnam and Malaysia, and posing great risks to life safety and maritime security.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia affirmed the consistent policy of the Vietnamese State in building a sustainable and responsible fisheries sector, resolutely combating and strictly handling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

At the same time, the Embassy requested the Malaysian side to ensure humane treatment of Vietnamese fishermen and respect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens in accordance with international law and practice.
Previously, immediately after the incident, the Embassy closely coordinated with Malaysian authorities to carry out citizen protection work to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese fishermen, while contributing to implementing Vietnam's commitment to overcoming the IUU "yellow card" warning.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-phu-voi-nguoi-dan/dai-su-quan-viet-nam-tai-malaysia-tham-lanh-su-11-ngu-dan-bi-bat-tai-bang-sabah-20251029193357465.htm