- Viet Nam, EU discuss death penalty

Viet Nam, EU discuss death penalty

Ha Noi, Nov. 24 (VNA) - The death penalty is necessary in Viet Nam's current situation as a law-governed state aiming to ensure a peaceful life for every citizen and for the common interest of the community, said Deputy Foreign Minister Le Van Bang.

Bang told a three-day seminar on the death penalty, which was opened in Ha Noi on Wednesday by Viet Nam's Foreign Ministry and the European Union (EU), that Viet Nam highly appreciated the opportunity to enhance dialogue and cooperation with the EU on human right issues on the basis of equality and mutual respect for the common goal of promoting and protecting human rights.

The Vietnamese diplomat said Viet Nam's Criminal Code stipulates that the death penalty is applicable to special criminal cases with the aim of preventing and admonishing crimes, but not for those criminals who are juveniles, pregnant women or women nurturing under-three children. The Criminal Code, which was revised in 1999, narrowed the types of crime punishable by the death penalty from 44 to 29.

Speaking at the seminar, Dutch Ambassador to Viet Nam Gerben de Jong expressed hopes that the seminar will provide necessary information to help Viet Nam's policy-making in this important and sentitive area.

Participants discussed a law framework concerning death penalty, implementation of human rights, their experiences in the field and alternatives to capital punishments.

Ambassadors and representatives from EU-member countries and representatives of Viet Nam's concerned ministries and agencies attended the seminar.

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