Vietnam’s National Assembly has approved a significant amendment to the Criminal Code, abolishing the death penalty for eight offenses, including embezzlement and activities aimed at overthrowing the government, effective next month. This decision comes with the prospect of life imprisonment replacing capital punishment for these crimes. Among those affected by this change is Truong My Lan, a prominent tycoon sentenced to death for embezzlement in a high-profile $12 billion fraud case. Her sentence will be automatically commuted to life imprisonment due to the new law.
Other offenses that will no longer carry the death penalty include vandalizing state property, manufacturing counterfeit medicines, jeopardizing peace, espionage, and drug-related crimes. The Vietnamese government’s move reflects an evolving stance on capital punishment, although certain crimes, such as murder, treason, and child sexual abuse, will still warrant capital punishment. Drug trafficking also remains a capital offense.
The amendment has sparked discussions about the criminal justice system in Vietnam, where capital punishment data is state secrecy, and the exact number of individuals currently on death row remains unknown. Since the abolition of firing squads in 2011, lethal injection has been the sole execution method used. The unanimous ratification of this law signifies a notable shift in Vietnam’s approach to dealing with serious crimes, emphasizing life imprisonment over the death penalty for specific offenses. As the changes take effect on July 1, a significant legal recalibration is anticipated in the country’s criminal justice practices.
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