Australia has been urged to step in to stop Cambodia from returning a group of 29 Montagnard refugees to Vietnam.

The ethnic minority group are indigenous to the central highlands of Vietnam but will likely face persecution by the state if returned.

The 29 refugees were part of a group of 36 Montagnards who sought protection in Cambodia.

While 7 were granted protection, 29 had their claims denied.

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network has urged the Australian government to use its influence on the Cambodian government to intervene.

Australia currently has an arrangement with Cambodia to resettle refugees from its offshore detention centres in Manus Island and Nauru to the south east Asian country.

The Montagnard group’s plight is recognised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which has previously attempted to assist Cambodia to resettle its high number of Montagnard refugees to a third country.