Between 2021 to 2022, four Vietnamese civil society leaders were arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned for tax evasion. Referred to as the “Vietnam Four” by The 88 Project, three were convicted for non-payment of taxes related to the donations received by the NGOs they were leading. At the same time, the remaining individual was found guilty of not paying personal income tax on the grant she received after winning a prestigious award in 2018.

Controversy and scandal surround their arrests, with several international NGOs, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations demanding their immediate release. Likewise, procedural anomalies, abuse of due process, and the government’s ulterior motives add even more tension to the situation of the Vietnam Four.