Dinh Thao
Dinh Thao is a medical practitioner by profession but started her human rights work in 2015 protesting against a tree-felling project in Hanoi. Following this, the human rights defender engaged in different pro-democracy and human rights activities, including organising public events to advocate for environmental issues and supporting victims of police brutality and wrongful death penalties. Dinh Thao has also been an active voice in speaking out against human rights violations in Vietnam at the international level, including the UN Human Rights Council, the EU Parliament, Commission and Council.
Vietnamese authorities treat human rights defenders as “enemies of the State”. HRDs are subjected to intimidation, threats, interrogation, harassment, arrest and routine beatings. Many defenders are victims of arbitrary detention and criminalisation.
