Vietnam to abolish capital punishment for embezzlement, thereby sparing the life of a tycoon.
Vietnam is shaking things up next month, as they plan to scrap the death penalty for eight offenses. This includes embezzlement, activities aimed at overthrowing the government, and more. Even the tycoon in that $12 billion fraud case gets a reprieve.
Parliament, Vietnam’s lawmaking body, voted unanimously to put an end to the death penalty for these crimes, citing the statement they released on Wednesday.
The list of offenses no longer resulting in capital punishment now also includes vandalizing state property, manufacturing fake medicine, jeopardizing peace, triggering invasive wars, espionage, and carrying drugs. The most severe sentence these offenders will now face is life imprisonment.
Those already sentenced to death prior to July 1 will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, including real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, who was sentenced to death last year on embezzlement charges. Her lawyers haven't commented yet on the news.
Meanwhile, ten offenses still carry the death penalty in Vietnam: murder, treason, terrorism, drug trafficking, and child sexual abuse among them.
It’s a state secret in Vietnam how many people currently reside on death row. However, lethal injection is the only method of execution left, after firing squads were phased out in 2011.
Here’s the breakdown of the crimes that are no longer capital offenses:
- Embezzlement: Misappropriation of funds.
- Bribery: Offering or accepting illicit payments.
- Espionage: Spying or revealing sensitive information.
- Counterfeiting Medicines: Producing or distributing fake pharmaceuticals.
- Vandalism of State Property: Damaging public or government-owned assets.
- Sabotage: Intentionally causing damage or disruption to public services.
- Acts Aimed at Overthrowing the Government: Crimes against the government and its authority.
In a broader context, drug trafficking was also on the death penalty list before. But now, it seems, the offenses related to this are more specifically defined and some of them remain capital offenses under the new law. The changes will take effect from July 1, 2025, with provisions for commuting existing death sentences for the abolished offenses to life imprisonment.
In the scope of this revision, several offenses will no longer result in capital punishment, including embezzlement, bribery, espionage, counterfeiting medicines, vandalism of state property, sabotage, and acts aimed at overthrowing the government. For offenders previously sentenced to death for these crimes, their sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment.
On the other side, ten offenses still carry the death penalty in Vietnam, such as murder, treason, terrorism, and child sexual abuse, among others. The changes are set to take effect from July 1, 2025, with provisions for commuting existing death sentences for the abolished offenses to life imprisonment.
