Arrest & Detention

If a colleague or family member is detained in Vietnam, the immediate difficulties are practical: finding out where they are, getting a lawyer registered, and making sure nothing is signed before they have understood it.

Wise Counsel responds urgently when a foreign national is arrested or detained, securing access, interpretation and representation from the outset.

What we help with

• Locating where the person is held and on what legal basis
• Registering as defence counsel at the earliest permitted stage
• Ensuring an interpreter is present at every interview
• Advising the detained person on their rights before any statement is given
• Notifying the embassy or consulate and arranging consular access
• Applying for bail and alternative preventive measures
• Keeping the family and, where relevant, the employer informed
• Reviewing the legality of the arrest and grounds for continued detention

Call before any statement is given. A record made without an interpreter and without counsel is very difficult to correct afterwards.