- Regarding the application of death penalty in Vietnam

Regarding the application of death penalty in Vietnam

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENTS BY MR. LE DZUNG, THE SPOKESMAN
OF THE VIETNAMESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 8th APRIL 2004

DPA: Please advise Vietnam’s reaction to the report by Amnesty International on the death penalty which says that Vietnam is one of the four countries that are responsible for 84% of reported executions worldwide. Why has there been an increase in the number of executions reported in the state-run media?

Answer:

The application of death penalty should be based on specific conditions of each country. At present, many countries in the world including the US still resort to the penalty. In Vietnam, death sentence is a special penalty to be applied only to those committed particularly serious crimes in accordance with strict legal proceedings stipulated by Vietnamese laws. Vietnam's newly amended Penal Code has reduced the number of crimes subject to capital punishment from 44 to 29.

Recent death sentences in Vietnam are mainly handed down to those trafficking large quantities of drug. This is a particularly serious crime, which the society strongly condemns and demands proper punishment.

The application of death penalty is necessary and effective in deterring such a crime.

However, it is a matter of fact that due to sky-high profitability of the business, drug crimes are still increasing in

Vietnam

as in other countries.

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