Capital punishment in Vietnam: Difference between revisions

The [[Human Rights Measurement Initiative]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Human Rights Measurement Initiative – The first global initiative to track the human rights performance of countries |url=https://humanrightsmeasurement.org/ |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=humanrightsmeasurement.org}}</ref> gives Vietnam a score of 4.4 out of 10 on the right to freedom from the death penalty, based on responses from human rights experts in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vietnam - HRMI Rights Tracker |url=https://rightstracker.org/ |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=rightstracker.org |language=en}}</ref> These experts have also identified that certain groups, such as migrants and/or immigrants, people with low social or economic status, and refugees or asylum seekers are particularly at risk of having their right to freedom from the death penalty violated. In 2020, these experts additionally identified "those involved in land disputes, particularly those involved with the [[2017 Hanoi hostage crisis|Dong Tam Village attack]]" and "detainees or prisoners, particularly those convicted for drug offences or robberies", as being especially vulnerable to death penalty executions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vietnam - HRMI Rights Tracker |url=https://rightstracker.org/ |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=rightstracker.org |language=en}}</ref>

Twenty-nine articles in the [[Penal Code of Vietnam|Penal Code]] allow the death penalty as an optional punishment. Executions were once carried out by a [[firing squad]] of seven [[police officer]]s, where the prisoners were blindfolded and tied to stakes. The firing squad was replaced by [[lethal injection]] in November 2011 after the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments (in article 59(1)) was passed by the [[National Assembly of Vietnam]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Firing squad replaced by lethal injection|url=http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Social-Isssues/215697/Firing-squad-replaced-by-lethal-injection-.html|publisher=Viet Nam News|access-date=10 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=No: 53/2010/QH12 - Execution of criminal judgments|url=http://vbqppl.moj.gov.vn/vbpq/en/Lists/Vn%20bn%20php%20lut/View_Detail.aspx?ItemID=10484|publisher=Misistry of Justice|access-date=11 October 2011}}{{dead link|date=November 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The drugs used to execute prisoners are produced domestically.<ref name="Diplomat"/> The first execution conducted by lethal injection was of Nguyen Anh Tuan, convicted of [[Murder|murdering]] gas station employee Bui Thi Nguyet on August 6, 2013. <ref>{{cite news|last1=Ha|first1=Le|title=First death row inmate executed by lethal injection|url=http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/81030/first-death-row-inmate-executed-by-lethal-injection.html|access-date=31 March 2018|archive-date=628 AugustNovember 20132020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128203449/http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/81030/first-death-row-inmate-executed-by-lethal-injection.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2015, a revision of the Penal Code was passed that severely curtailed the death penalty was passed. Under the new regulations, which took effect on July 1, 2016, the death penalty was abolished for seven crimes: surrendering to the enemy, opposing order, destruction of projects of national security importance, robbery, drug possession, drug appropriation, and the production and trade of fake food. In addition, those 75 or older are exempt, and officials convicted of corruption charges can be spared if they pay back at least 75% of the profits they illicitly obtained.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/vietnam-passes-law-abolishing-death-penalty-for-7-crimes_1827164.html|title=Vietnam passes law abolishing death penalty for 7 crimes|date=27 November 2015}}</ref>