Vietnam on August 31 announced the President’s decision to grant amnesty on the occasion of September 2, the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, this year.
The state-controlled media quoted Mr. Pham Thanh Ha – Vice Chairman of the President’s Office, at a press conference to announce the decision in Hanoi on the total number of people granted amnesty this period is 2,434 prisoners serving prison sentences, three people are being temporarily suspended from serving prison sentences, and one person has been suspended from serving prison sentences.
The representative of the Ministry of Public Security, Major General Nguyen Van Long, at the press conference, added that among the prisoners in the cases monitored by the Central Steering Committee for Prevention/Anti-Corruption, there are eight people who got amnesty.
Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister Ha Kim Ngoc, announced that there are 16 foreign nationals on the amnesty list this period. The total number of foreign prisoners serving sentences in Vietnam is said to be about 750.
Mr. Pham Thanh Ha explained that this year the number of pardoned foreigners was lower than the previous ones because there are stricter regulations on conditions for special amnesty and cases where an amnesty is not requested.
On this occasion, the President of Vietnam also reduced the death penalty to life for 10 death row inmates; including two foreigners.
The announcement of the amnesty decision of the Vietnamese president stated that those convicted of “conducting propaganda against the State” or subversion are not eligible for amnesty.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
