Recognition Must Lead to Action: Standing with Dang Dinh Bach
By Hong Hoang
Editor’s note: Dang Dinh Bach has since been released from prison. This reflection looks back on the Capitol Hill event honoring him while he was still imprisoned.
I joined an event on Capitol Hill honoring Vietnamese human rights lawyer and environmental defender Dang Dinh Bach, recipient of Human Rights First’s Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty.
Bach worked alongside civil society organizations in Vietnam to advance environmental protection, climate action, and the rule of law. His imprisonment is part of a wider crackdown on the people and organizations doing that work. At the time of the event, he had spent more than four and a half years in prison and was the only one of our group of six imprisoned climate advocates who had not been released.
Congressman Jamie Raskin and civil society leaders, including Uzra Zeya, Bobbie Sta. Maria, and Lalanath De Silva, spoke about his work and the need for continued action.
Congressman Jamie Raskin speaking at the Capitol Hill event honoring Dang Dinh Bach, December 2025. Screenshot from Rep. Raskin’s post on X.
Why recognition matters
In my remarks, I spoke as both a former colleague and someone who knows firsthand what imprisonment means. I worked closely with Bach for years. International advocacy, including sustained pressure from the U.S. government, played a decisive role in my own early release.
That experience taught me that pressure can make a difference, even when progress is difficult to see.
Bach’s receipt of this award was richly deserved. It also sent a message that matters deeply to defenders and their families: the international community recognizes his contribution to the public good and continues to stand with him.
For someone in prison, knowing that the world has not forgotten can be a source of strength. For families and colleagues, public recognition can help sustain the long effort to secure their loved one’s freedom.
Hong Hoang speaking at the Capitol Hill event honoring Dang Dinh Bach, December 2025.
Climate commitments require civic participation
Vietnam has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and is participating in the Just Energy Transition Partnership. Achieving these goals requires the knowledge, participation, and scrutiny of civil society, including the people working directly with affected communities.
Environmental defenders must be able to contribute without fear of imprisonment.
At the event, I urged continued U.S. advocacy for Bach’s release. I also called on civil society and human rights organizations to engage the institutions, investors, and banks supporting Vietnam’s energy transition, so that respect for human rights is part of every partnership.
Carrying the commitment forward
I also shared my intention to launch FREE THEM ALL, an initiative to stand with climate and environmental defenders facing imprisonment, intimidation, or threats.
That commitment helped shape the development of ECHO Alliance and our Defender Support & Response initiative. My own experience continues to inform this work, alongside the experiences of others who have organized under pressure and supported people through crises.
Awards bring visibility. The task is to turn that visibility into sustained advocacy and practical support.
Bach’s release is a profound relief. The commitment remains: no one should be imprisoned for defending the planet. Thank you to everyone who stood with him and continues to support defenders still at risk.
