{"id":47209,"date":"2023-05-24T13:00:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queme.org\/?p=47209"},"modified":"2023-05-26T07:59:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T07:59:58","slug":"dang-dinh-bach-must-be-released","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/dang-dinh-bach-must-be-released\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam: Environmental lawyer \u0110\u0103ng \u0110\u00ecnh B\u00e1ch must be released"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PARIS, 24 May 2023 (VCHR) \u2013 The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) joins 86 human rights organisations to call for the release of environmental lawyer \u0110\u0103ng \u0110\u00ecnh B\u00e1ch<\/strong>, who has been arbitrarily sentenced to 5 years in prison<\/a> on trumped-up charges of tax evasion on account of his legitimate activities for human rights and a clean environment in Vietnam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


May 24, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Supporters\nof a Just Energy Transition and Sustainable Development in Vietnam,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We, the undersigned climate justice and human rights advocates worldwide, call for the immediate release of prominent environmental lawyer, Dang Dinh Bach<\/a><\/strong>, who is serving a five year prison sentence in Vietnam on trumped-up tax evasion charges after advocating for the country\u2019s movement away from coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bach has\ndeclared that on June 24, 2023 – the two-year anniversary of his arrest – he will\ngo on a hunger strike to the death in defense of his innocence. In his own\nspirit of nonviolent and peaceful protest, we are launching in solidarity with\nhim a relay hunger strike” joining him in solidarity in a relay hunger\nstrike from May 24 through June 24, to raise awareness about this extreme\ninjustice and call for his release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are running out of time to address the climate crisis. Action is urgent, and across the world, steps are being taken to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the impacts of climate change for future generations. The Vietnamese government itself has committed to net zero emissions<\/a> by 2050 and accepted a $15.5 billion<\/a> deal to support a just transition to clean energy. But this cannot succeed with climate leaders like Bach in jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bach is one of four members of the Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance who were imprisoned in Vietnam, despite playing an instrumental role in the country\u2019s ambitious climate commitments, indicating an ongoing and highly concerning trend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bach has\ndedicated his life to improving the health and well-being of marginalized\ncommunities throughout Vietnam and worked tirelessly to limit pollutants such\nas plastic, asbestos, and coal. \u201cI have witnessed so many painful stories of\npoverty and terrible diseases that weigh on abused communities in Vietnam,\u201d\nsaid Bach in a recent statement from prison. \u201cThey are deprived of their land\nand livelihoods and do not have opportunities to speak out for justice and the\nright to be human in the face of environmental pollution, especially in places\nwith coal-fired power plants across the country. In order to conceal the truth\nand threaten the voices of people, the Vietnamese authorities have arrested,\nconvicted and unjustly detained environmental and human rights activists in\ndefiance of national and international law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why\nwe, the global community, stand in solidarity with Bach through peaceful\nprotest and call for his release, as well as an end to retaliation against\ngovernment and civil society actors in Vietnam and around the world pushing for\nhuman rights and environmental justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We urge all\ngovernments, multilateral institutions and others invested in a just energy\ntransition for Vietnam to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n