- Vietnamese environmental advocate Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng was quietely released from prison Sept. 28, two years ahead of the end of her sentence.
- Hồng was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion, a charge frequently levied against environmental and human rights advocates in Vietnam.
- Her release, which was not publicized in official Vietnamese media, coincides with a trip to the United States by Vietnamese General Secretary and President Tô Lâm.
In a surprise move, the well-known environmental advocate Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng was released from prison in Vietnam on Saturday.
Hồng was sentenced on Sept. 28, 2023, to three years in prison on controversial tax evasion charges, meaning she was released more than two years early.
Official Vietnamese media have not reported Hồng’s release, but multiple sources confirmed the development to Mongabay. The move coincided with a trip to the United States by Vietnamese General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, who is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
Hồng, who is an Obama Foundation Scholar, was arrested in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2023, in a move that shocked the country’s weakened civil society.
In 2013, she founded the Center of Hands-on Actions and Networking for Growth and Environment (CHANGE), an NGO that led campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of wildlife trafficking and air pollution, among other environmental issues.
CHANGE shut down in late 2022 under increasing government pressure on Vietnamese NGOs, particularly those focusing on the environment and issues related to energy policy.
Her arrest was part of a broader crackdown on high-profile environmentalists such as Goldman Environmental Prize winner Ngụy Thị Khanh, who was released early from her own prison sentence for tax evasion two weeks before Hồng’s detention.
The crackdown has moved beyond NGOs, with Ngô Thị Tố Nhiên, founder and executive director of Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition Social Enterprise, recently sentenced to 42 months in prison for “misappropriating state documents.” Nhiên’s trial has not been announced by state media.
In a statement, Namrata Chowdhary, 350.org head of public engagement, said: “It is with overwhelming joy that we celebrate the early release of our dear friend, colleague, and courageous advocate, Hoàng Thi Minh Hồng. Her unwavering dedication to justice and her tireless work have inspired us all, and her courage fueled our collective efforts to bring her home. Hồng believes in a better world, and today we are thankful to receive the news of her freedom; the world is much better for it.”
Late last week, Vietnam also quietly released Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức, a prominent democracy advocate, from prison eight months before the end of his 16-year prison term on charges of “conducting activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration.”
Regarding Hồng’s release, Liangyi Chang, 350.org Asia managing director, added: “When Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 27 years, he spoke these words: ‘Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.’ Hồng has stood against that same fear, and we are delighted to have her back in our arms. Our joy is overflowing and our thanks bountiful for everyone who helped secure her freedom.”
Banner image: Environmental activists protesting coal-fired power plants in 2017. Secong from left is Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng. Image by 350.org via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
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