We welcome the release of Đặng Đình Bách after five years of unjust imprisonment.
We at Energy Shift Southeast Asia wish to convey our sincere solidarity and steadfast support to Bách and his family. After enduring five years of confinement, his well-being is of the utmost importance, and we hope he is able to spend meaningful time with his loved ones as they begin to heal from the years they were forcibly separated.
We extend our best wishes to Bách and his family as they embark on healing and reflection. His resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to a just energy transition have inspired many across Southeast Asia and beyond. We hope he now has the opportunity to rest, recover, and enjoy the freedom that should never have been taken from him.
While his release is a welcome development, it is also a reminder that the transition to clean energy must go hand in hand with respect for civic freedoms, meaningful public participation, and the protection of those who work to safeguard the environment and the public interest.
As we celebrate, we reaffirm our commitment to standing in solidarity with all those who work to advance environmental justice, public participation, and a just and inclusive energy transition.