In brief
Vietnam has officially removed the death penalty for several crimes, a decision that not only saves lives but also enhances the country's fight against corruption and its ability to extradite criminals from abroad.
Vietnam has made a significant legal shift by abolishing the death penalty for eight major offenses, including embezzlement, espionage, and drug trafficking. During a recent parliamentary meeting, lawmakers ratified amendments to the penal code to replace capital punishment with life imprisonment for these crimes, marking a move toward international legal standards. Notably affected by this change is Truong My Lan, a wealthy property developer facing death for a $12 billion fraud scandal. Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on National Defense and Security, Nguyen Minh Duc, mentioned that the new law supports Vietnam's ongoing corruption crackdown, which faces challenges due to the old capital punishment system that hindered extradition agreements. The change also comes in the wake of past controversies, including a 2017 incident where Germany accused Vietnam of abducting an asylum seeker convicted back home of embezzlement.While the exact number of those on death row is undisclosed, reports suggest many have been sentenced in recent years. The death penalty was once applicable to 44 crimes in Vietnam but has since been significantly reduced. Observers, like former legal expert Nguyen Ngoc Chi, anticipate that the death penalty may be entirely abolished in the future, reflecting a broader change in the country's approach to justice.
