A high-profile Vietnamese environmentalist known for taking on the energy industry on suspicion of tax evasion arrested on Wednesday
According to the local media, Hanoi police have detained Nguy Thi Khanh, 46 director of Hanoi-based Green Innovation and Development Center (GreenID), over alleged tax evasion allegations. She has been one of the few voices in Vietnam prepared to challenge plans to increase coal power to fuel economic development.
Her organization GreenID, Vietnam’s best-known environmental NGO, convinced the government to reduce 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 formed under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations in December 2011.
The Tuoi Tre newspaper said Khanh had been arrested by police in the capital Hanoi “on a tax evasion accusation”.
The case is currently under further investigation.
Local authorities have recently stepped up raids on corrupt officials as well as people involved in financial or economic scandals.
Khanh’s organization has been successful in persuading the government to strip 20,000 megawatts of coal power from the national energy plan by 2030.
Her goal for the coming years is for Vietnam to scale back its ambitious coal plans in favor of more renewable energy options, according to AFP.
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Source: Vietnam Insider