Vietnam Delays Enforcement of New Penal Code, Many Shortcomings Found

The parliament building in the capital city of Hanoi

The parliament building in the capital city of Hanoi

According to the released version, the new Penal Code has some improvements with fewer cases of capital punishment. However, the controversial articles related to national security remain the same to suppress local political dissidents, social activists and human rights.

By Vu Quoc Ngu, June 28, 2016

Vietnam will not implement the newly-adopted Penal Code from this July 1 but will amend the law due to 95 faults in the document, state media reported.

The move was taken by the Standing Committee of the country’s legislative body National Assembly in its urgent meeting on June 27, with additional participation of representatives of parliamentarian delegations from provinces and cities.

At the meeting with presence of the chief of the Supreme People’s Court, the chief of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, ministers of justice and public security as well as heads of the president’s office and the government office, participants agreed to amend the Penal Code which was approved by the parliament in November last year and ratified by the president.

It is unclear what needs to be amended. The implementation is delayed until July 1, 2017.

The revised Penal Code including three chapters and 426 articles was ratified by the NA on November 27, 2015 and was already released by the state president.

According to the released version, the new Penal Code has some improvements with fewer cases of capital punishment. However, the controversial articles related to national security remain the same to suppress local political dissidents, social activists and human rights.