Nguyen Ngoc Anh, a fisheries engineer and activist, was released from Xuan Loc Prison on August 30, 2024, after serving a six-year sentence for charges related to his criticism of the Vietnamese government. Anh, 44, was convicted in 2019 for "making, storing, and disseminating information against the state" through social media posts and videos addressing issues such as marine pollution caused by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation and territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

Upon his release, Anh was turned over to local authorities in Binh Dai District, Ben Tre Province, where he will begin a five-year probation period. Despite his imprisonment, Anh expressed pride in standing up for what he believed was right, though he noted his health had deteriorated during his incarceration.

Nguyen Ngoc Anh has been an outspoken critic of government policies since 2013, using Facebook to voice his concerns. His wife, Nguyen Thi Chau, also faced harassment from authorities for advocating for her husband's release and highlighting his mistreatment in prison. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) previously condemned Anh's imprisonment as "arbitrary" and in violation of international human rights conventions.