Vietnam charges man with rape following American student's allegations

Vietnamese authorities have charged a 23-year-old man with rape following allegations made by Nguyen Thi Quynh Tam, a 24-year-old American student. The incident reportedly occurred on July 5 during a group holiday at a resort in Phu Tho, near Hanoi.

Tam, who returned to Vietnam for a banking internship, alleged that the suspect assaulted her after she fell asleep in a bedroom. She further claimed that the suspect's family pressured her to accept monetary compensation in exchange for not reporting the incident to the police. Tam also stated that local authorities initially encouraged her to settle the matter privately.

Following intervention from U.S. officials and a U.S. lawmaker, Vietnamese authorities confirmed that legal proceedings have been initiated. Pham Thu Hang, a spokesperson for Vietnam's foreign ministry, stated that the actions were taken “in accordance with Vietnamese law,” though she did not address the allegations regarding police pressure to settle the case.