About Dang Dinh Bach
Dang Dinh Bach has dedicated his life to protecting communities from harmful pollution, phasing out plastic waste and supporting the Vietnamese government’s transition to clean energy. He has engaged in numerous hunger strikes to protest his conviction and Vietnam’s use of ambiguous tax laws to silence environmental and climate leaders.
Bach started and directed the Law and Policy of Sustainable Development Research Centre, a non-governmental organization that helped communities use the power of law to protect the environment and public health.
Bach was instrumental in launching a review of the country’s Environmental Protection Law, helped Vietnam adopt its first legislation limiting production and import of plastics, banned the use of asbestos and worked to scale back the country’s coal expansion plans. He also helped to train and mentor over 100 young lawyers.
Before his arbitrary arrest, Bach:
Led seventeen days of action against Vietnam’s reliance on coal (February - March 2021).
Trained a cadre of public interest lawyers dedicated to protecting the environment.
Empowered communities affected by the illegal dumping of industrial waste by the Nicotex pesticide manufacturer.
Advocated for major legislative revisions to Vietnam’s policy and regulation of plastics.
Bach was imprisoned after leading a campaign to reduce Vietnam’s reliance on coal.
Numerous human rights violations occurred in Bach’s case, from the morning of his arrest when authorities barged into his house without a warrant to being unable to speak with his family or lawyer in the months leading up to his trial. The trial itself was closed to observers, including Bach’s family and foreign embassies that requested to attend. Perhaps most troubling was the court’s refusal to hear Bach’s defense.
Bach’s five year sentence exceeded the prosecution’s recommendation of three years, because he refused to plead guilty. He was denied access to his lawyer in preparation for his appeal hearing.
According to legal experts Bach’s case did not follow the standard process for tax evasion, when a person would first be investigated and then given a fine by the tax authorities.
In June the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention released an opinion regarding Bach’s imprisonment, finding it a “violation of international law” and expressing concerns about a “systemic problem with arbitrary detention” of environmental defenders in Vietnam.
The UN has also called upon the Government of Vietnam to revise its overbroad and vague tax provisions due to their chilling effect on civil society and the ability of non-governmental associations to operate in the country.
Dang Dinh Bach offered reputable community solidarity award
The 2023 Paul K. Feyerabend Award is offered to Bach to highlight his work as an example of community solidarity and in the hope that enlightened Vietnamese authorities will recognize that people like him are a tremendous asset for any country. Because of its unique circumstances, this award carries admiration and solidarity for Bach without a financial envelope. The Feyerabend Foundation remains hopeful that a positive review of his case will restitute Bach to his family and work, so critical for the future of Vietnam.