Vietnam’s National Assembly has approved an amendment to the Criminal Code, removing the death penalty for eight offenses, effective next month. Among the crimes affected are embezzlement and actions aimed at overthrowing the government. This legislative change spares the life of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, who was sentenced to death last year in connection with a $12 billion fraud case.
The offenses that will no longer warrant capital punishment also include vandalism of state property, manufacturing counterfeit medicines, espionage, and drug trafficking. For these crimes, the maximum penalty will now be life imprisonment. Those sentenced to death for these offenses prior to July 1 but not yet executed will automatically have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. This includes Lan, whose legal representation has not publicly commented on the change.
Despite the abolition of the death penalty for these specific crimes, at least ten offenses will still carry capital punishment in Vietnam. These include serious crimes such as murder, treason, terrorism, and child sexual abuse, with drug trafficking also remaining a capital offense.
Notably, capital punishment statistics are state secrets in Vietnam, making it unclear how many individuals are currently on death row. Furthermore, lethal injection is the only method of execution permitted in the country since firing squads were abolished in 2011. The amendment reflects a significant shift in Vietnam’s approach to crime and punishment and aligns with evolving global views on the death penalty.
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