2-6-2023 (HANOI) Vietnamese authorities have detained Hoang Thi Minh Hong, a prominent climate activist, on charges of tax evasion, according to her husband. Ms Hong, the founder of the now-defunct NGO Change, which aimed to address urgent environmental issues in Vietnam, was taken into custody in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.
Hoang Vinh Nam, her husband, confirmed her temporary detention and the accusation of tax evasion. Ms Hong established Change in 2013, focusing on mobilizing Vietnamese citizens, particularly young people, to take action against climate change, the illegal wildlife trade, and pollution.
Her contributions to environmental activism earned her recognition, including participation in the Obama Foundation Scholars Programme at Columbia University in New York in 2018 and inclusion in Forbes’ list of the 50 most influential Vietnamese women in 2019.
Ms Hong decided to close Change last year after four environmental human rights defenders in Vietnam, Nguy Thi Khanh, Mai Phan Loi, Bach Hung Duong, and Dang Dinh Bach, were convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to prison terms. The Vietnamese government’s move prompted her to shut down the organization.
The use of vague and flawed tax laws by Vietnam to target environmentalists and climate change activists has raised concerns. Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, described it as a troubling development. Hong Thi Minh Hong is the latest victim in this escalating crackdown, he added.
Nguy Thi Khanh, a globally recognized climate and energy campaigner who received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, was among those imprisoned for nearly a year before her release last month. Khanh, the founder of Green ID, one of Vietnam’s prominent environmental organizations, had challenged the government’s plans to expand coal power.
Dang Dinh Bach, a community lawyer and NGO worker, had been actively informing and supporting individuals whose health and livelihoods were threatened by coal projects and other polluting industries. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
When questioned about Hong’s arrest, Nguyen Duc Thang, deputy spokesperson for the foreign ministry, emphasized Vietnam’s commitment to environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. He stated that individuals, associations, organizations, and NGOs are allowed to operate in accordance with the law but must also assume responsibility for their activities.
The detention of Hoang Thi Minh Hong highlights the challenges faced by environmental activists in Vietnam and raises concerns about the freedom to advocate for environmental protection and address climate change issues in the country.
