A high-profile Vietnamese environmentalist known for his fight against the energy industry on charges of tax evasion was arrested on Wednesday
According to local media, Hanoi police have arrested Nguy Thi Khanh, 46 director of the Hanoi-based Green Innovation and Development Center (GreenID), for alleged tax evasion. She is one of the few voices in Vietnam willing to challenge plans to increase coal flow to boost economic development.
Her organization GreenID, Vietnam’s best-known environmental NGO, convinced the government to lower some of its coal targets and sparked a national conversation about rising air and water pollution.
On its website, Green ID introduces itself as a Vietnamese non-profit organization founded in December 2011 under the Vietnamese Union of Science and Technology Associations.
Tuoi Tre newspaper said Khanh had been arrested by police in the capital Hanoi “on charges of tax evasion”.
The case is currently under further investigation.
Local authorities have recently raided corrupt officials and people involved in financial or economic scandals.
Khanh’s organization has managed to convince the government to cut 20,000 megawatts of coal power from the national energy plan by 2030.
Its goal for the coming years is for Vietnam to scale back its ambitious coal plans in favor of more renewable energy options, AFP said.
