Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng, founder and executive of CHANGE Việt Nam. — Photo from Change Việt Nam

HÀ NỘI — Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Đức Thắng on Thursday responded to questions over HCM City Police's detainment of Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng, a well-known environmental activist, founder and executive director of a Vietnamese NGO specialised in the field of environment, CHANGE, along with her husband and two employees, on the charge of tax evasion.

With regards to Việt Nam's response to international media's accusation that the authorities tend to levy the charge of tax evasion as a way to suppress the activities of civil society, deputy spokesperson Thắng said the Government of Việt Nam has a firm, strong commitment to environmental protection, climate change response, and green and sustainable growth.

"That has been clearly recognised in many of Việt Nam's legal documents and policies," Thắng noted.

Currently, the Vietnamese government is implementing a number of comprehensive measures in energy transformation and growth for the transformation toward a green and circular direction, according to the diplomat.

"In Việt Nam, there are hundreds of social organisations and non-governmental organisations, which are strengthening and diversifying their activities in the area of environmental protection and climate change response," Thắng noted.

He stressed that in general, individuals, associations, organisations, and non-governmental organisations are "guaranteed normal operation" in accordance with the regulations, but, at the same time they must comply with and take responsibility before the law for the activities.

As in all other countries, those who violated the law will be handled accordingly, he said. — VNS