Vietnam will abolish the death penalty for eight offenses beginning next month, according to a unanimous decision by the National Assembly. This change spares the life of Truong My Lan, a real estate tycoon involved in a $12 billion fraud case, who was sentenced to death for embezzlement. The offenses from which the death penalty will be removed include embezzlement, vandalism of state property, manufacturing fake medicine, jeopardizing peace, espionage, and drug-related crimes. For these offenses, life imprisonment will now be the maximum penalty.
Additionally, those previously sentenced to death for these crimes but not yet executed will have their sentences reduced to life imprisonment. Lan’s sentence will be automatically commuted under this amendment. Only ten offenses will continue to carry the death penalty in Vietnam, including murder, treason, terrorism, and the sexual abuse of children, while drug trafficking remains a capital offense.
The move reflects a significant shift in Vietnam’s judicial approach, although data regarding capital punishment is classified, making it unclear how many individuals are currently on death row. The country has been utilizing lethal injection as the sole method for executions since the abolition of firing squads in 2011. This legislative change underscores ongoing discussions about human rights and the application of capital punishment in Vietnam.
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