Vietnam to make fewer crimes punishable by death
HANOI - Vietnam's National Assembly has approved
amendments to the country's penal code that are expected to cut
by a third the number of crimes punishable by death.
Officials at the assembly said on Wednesday the changes had
been approved after a week of discussion at Vietnam's
legislative body, which meets twice a year. The amendments
would take effect from next July, they added.
The death penalty, normally carried out by firing squad in
communist-ruled Vietnam, had been expected to be reduced to
some 30 crimes from the current 44 under the amendments.
Assembly officials declined to give details.
State media said delegates had approved the introduction of
new offences dealing with computer hacking and environmental
pollution, but gave no clear details.
Officials had previously said there would be fewer death
sentences for white-collar crimes, which diplomats believe
include offences such as embezzlement and graft.
Courts have handed down a number of death sentences in
recent years for graft and smuggling, which have become
rampant in Vietnam despite the tough criminal code.
In Vietnam, a five-man firing squad executes convicted criminals,
with a commanding officer completing the process with a single
pistol shot to the head.
Vietnam executed some 100 people in 1995, the last year for
which complete statistics were available.
Reuters - December 15, 1999.
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