Đặng Đình Bách is one of the 10 people Amnesty International is uniting behind for this Write for Rights 2024 – the worlds biggest human rights event.
Đặng Đình Bách has dedicated his life to protecting people from pollution and the climate crisis. As the director of the Law and Policy of Sustainable Development Research Center (LPSD), he empowered communities to understand their rights and advocate for their own environmental and social well-being.
But on 24 June 2021, Bách was arrested under trumped-up tax evasion charges – a tactic used by Vietnamese authorities to silence environmental activists. He was denied access to legal counsel, subjected to an unfair trial, and sentenced to five years in prison. His organisation was forced to close, and his young son has not seen him since his arrest.
While some positive changes have been made to Bách’s conditions recently, including access to fresh air and group meetings with other political prisoners, he still faces challenges. Writing utensils, an invaluable tool for his mental well-being, continue to be confiscated arbitrarily, violating his dignity and rights. His health has also deteriorated due to the harsh prison conditions and harassment from prison officers.
Amnesty International is calling on Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Đặng Đình Bách, ensure he is protected from all forms of mistreatment, and provide him with adequate healthcare while in detention.
Join us in sending Bách messages of hope and solidarity. Let him know he is not alone in his fight for justice. Your words of support can give him strength and remind him that the world is watching. You can mention his love for yoga and reading, or share reflections on his favorite books, including those by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.
A letter can change someone’s life. That’s the idea behind Write for Rights, our global letter-writing campaign.