My husband Hiep Tran is in a Vietnamese prison. He has done nothing wrong | Chloe Dang

A bit more than a month ago my husband, Hiep Tran, went missing. It was the beginning of a terrible ordeal for Hiep, me and our entire family.

We now understand that he is being wrongfully detained in a Vietnamese prison.

My husband and I live a simple life, much like many other couples. We go to work each day, and every evening we come home and share a meal. I cook and he does the dishes. Afterwards, we watch movies and play with our cats. Some nights, he plays piano and I sing, although I’m never quite sure my singing is as pleasant as he makes it seem.

We both love nature and outdoor activities. On weekends we often go hiking, camping or fishing, sometimes with family and friends. We love to travel, enjoying good food and exploring new things together. These ordinary moments are what make our life together so special.

Hiep works in data analytics, but there are other things he has always been passionate about. He loves fixing things around the house and making wooden objects for our home. He also has a deep love of music. He used to play music at church. At family gatherings and get-togethers with friends, he often entertains everyone by playing the piano or guitar.

It breaks my heart to realise that it has been a month since we were able to share these simple moments together.

Just some days ago, I received a few fragmented details about his condition. I was told that he is in a fragile mental state, gripped by fear, and experiencing erratic blood pressure – symptoms which he had never experienced before. Knowing that my husband is suffering like this, unable to feel safe or at peace, is unbearable.

The only brief message I have received from him reads:

“Hi, how are you all going? I want you to know that I never entered Vietnam on my own. I never crossed the border. I am struggling mentally – traumatised and terrified by the situation.”

I read those words at 4am, in a report from a consular officer, and broke down in tears. It was truly heartbreaking. My husband had done nothing wrong to deserve being put through such a horrific experience.

Next week, we will celebrate our 8th anniversary together. Hiep had booked tickets for a trip to South Korea for us to celebrate this special occasion. But instead, he is now living in fear and panic, trapped in a prison where he should never have ended up.

His birthday was on 7 October. I thought being alone in prison would be the hardest part for him, but I was wrong. The “happy birthday” message and photos I tried to send him were not even allowed to reach him. Why are they so afraid of a simple message from his loved ones?

He must be feeling incredibly desperate, not knowing that out here, my lawyer, his friends and so many others still care deeply about him and are doing everything in their power to bring him home as soon as possible.

Living in a free country like Australia, we never imagined that helping others, speaking up for vulnerable people or simply travelling to another country could lead to a nightmare like the one my husband is now enduring.

Over the past month, the Australian government has provided tremendous support to me and my family, and I am deeply grateful. I sincerely hope the government will continue to do everything within its power to secure Hiep’s safe return. I also hope that people around the world with continue to speak up, raise awareness, and call for his release.

No one, whether an Australian citizen or anyone else, should ever have to endure the nightmare my husband and our family are going through. All I want is for my husband to be safe, to be free and to come home to the life and family waiting for him.