Vietnamese environmental lawyer Dang Dinh Bach was released from prison on June 24 after serving a full five-year sentence for tax evasion, charges advocates say were a pretext to silence his activism against coal mining. Bach, the founder and former director of the Law and Policy of Sustainable Development Research Center, was arrested in 2021 after he helped lead a 17-day protest against the expansion of coal mining in Vietnam. His release was confirmed by the Vietnam Climate Defenders Coalition (VCDC), a group of more than 30 international and regional human rights and climate justice organizations. In a statement released through the coalition, Bach expressed his appreciation for the global campaign for his freedom. “I’m grateful to be back home and reunited with my family,” he said, noting that his immediate priority was reconnecting with his wife and his young son, who was only 2 weeks old when they were separated. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out and shown support.” Bach’s legal work was highly influential in Vietnam’s environmental landscape. VCDC said he contributed to the country’s Environmental Protection Law and helped lay the groundwork for Vietnam’s $15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The VCDC noted that Bach’s expertise and dedication are vital to Vietnam’s climate goals, stating that such work is “best served by people of Bach’s expertise, integrity, and dedication working alongside government, not behind bars.” While celebrating Bach’s release, the coalition said it remains concerned about his security. It has called on Vietnamese authorities…This article was originally published on Mongabay