24 January marked four years since environmental lawyer Dang Dinh Bach was sentenced to five years in prison in Vietnam. Taken from his home in June 2021 when his son was just two weeks old, Bach has been separated from his family through four Tết Lunar New Year holidays and has not seen his young son since. As Vietnam prepares to mark Tết on 17 February, we renew our call for his release.
For over two decades, Dang Dinh Bach has dedicated his life to protecting Vietnam’s environment and the communities most affected by pollution and involuntary displacement. As co-founder and director of the Law and Policy of Sustainable Development Research Centre (LPSD), he supported communities in defending their health and environment through the law, trained more than a hundred young lawyers, and played a key role in major environmental reforms. His work contributed to strengthening Vietnam’s Environmental Protection Law, advancing legislation limiting plastic production and banning asbestos, and supporting the country’s transition to clean energy. These efforts also helped pave the way for Vietnam’s net-zero emissions by 2050 commitment and the $15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
In solidarity, we have advocated for his case by featuring him in our #FreeTheLawyers campaign and annual greeting card action, through which lawyers and law firms worldwide send messages of solidarity and support.
As Vietnam prepares to celebrate Tết Lunar New Year on February 17 – the Year of the Horse symbolizing strength, freedom, and generosity – we call on Vietnamese leaders to extend this spirit of clemency and reunion to Dang Dinh Bach and his family, and to grant his release.
Read the full solidarity statement by The Vietnam Climate Defenders Coalition, here
