Vietnam detains prominent climate activist on tax evasion accusation
- Hoang Thi Minh Hong, founder NGO Change, is widely recognised for her work and has been listed by Forbes among the 50 most influential Vietnamese women
- She announced last year that Change would close after Vietnam’s authoritarian government jailed 4 environmental human rights defenders for tax evasion
Vietnamese authorities have detained a prominent climate activist for alleged tax evasion, her husband said on Friday, adding to a list of environmentalists facing the accusation.
Hoang Thi Minh Hong, the founder of now-defunct NGO Change, which aimed to tackle some of the country’s most urgent environmental issues, was taken into custody in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.
“I can confirm Hong has been under temporary detention since May 31 with the accusation of tax evasion,” Hoang Vinh Nam said.
Hong founded Change in 2013, focusing on mobilising Vietnamese, particularly young people, to take action against pressing environmental issues including climate change, the illegal wildlife trade, and pollution.
She announced last year that Change would close after Vietnam’s authoritarian government handed down prison terms for tax evasion to four environmental human rights defenders, Nguy Thi Khanh, Mai Phan Loi, Bach Hung Duong, and Dang Dinh Bach.
