US Condemns Vietnam's Sentencing of Climate Activist on Tax Charges

The US State Department has condemned the imprisonment of prominent Vietnamese climate activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong on tax fraud charges, calling the ruling a "total sham." Hong, who has led environmental campaigns in Vietnam for over a decade, was sentenced to three years in prison for evading approximately $280,000 in taxes. The US State Department expressed deep concern and urged Vietnam to release all unjustly detained individuals and respect freedom of expression and association. Vietnam's legal system has faced criticism from Western observers, and the court ruling comes shortly after US President Joe Biden's state visit to Vietnam, where he emphasized the importance of the partnership between the two countries in addressing climate change.