Vietnam May Remove Seven Crimes from Capital Punishment List

duong ngoc nguu

Members of the Justice Committee under the National Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, wanted to drop from the draft amendment to the Criminal Law the crimes relating to robbery, destroying works important to of national security, activities against order at the higher levels, surrender to enemies, harming the peace and launching war, activities against the mankind and war crimes.

By KTT | Mar 25, 2015

Vietnam’s lawmakers have discussed to remove seven crimes from death penalty list in a bid to promote the humanity in the country, state media reported Wednesday.

Members of the Justice Committee under the National Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, wanted to drop from the draft amendment to the Criminal Law the crimes relating to robbery, destroying works important to of national security, activities against order at the higher levels, surrender to enemies, harming the peace and launching war, activities against the mankind and war crimes.

The move is aimed to reduce the number of crimes charged with capital punishment to 15 from current 22, Duong Ngoc Nguu, deputy head of the committee said at a meeting on March 24, adding that the number in the past was 44.

The reduction partly shows Vietnam’s efforts to remove death sentences as called for by foreign countries and organizations, including the Amnesty International, Harm Reduction International, and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

The groups urged the United Nations to freeze anti-drug assistance to Vietnam, explaining that the support would enable the communist country to issue more death sentences to drug traffickers.

The draft amendment also added three crimes, including violating voting rights, deforming results from referendum and violating rights to freedom of expression, press, and demonstration.