~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam may reduce number of offenses punishable by death

Vietnam will consider reducing the number of offenses punishable by death due to an international "trend of humanization and democracy," state-controlled media reported Friday. Vietnam should consider dropping capital punishment for economic crimes and others that are not capital offenses in other countries, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper quoted Justice Minister Uong Chu Luu as saying.

"With the trend of humanization and democracy, I think it's time to review the articles to see whether (we) can still ensure the fight against crimes without terminating the lives of those who committed economic crimes and some other crimes," Luu said in the article. The communist country carried out the death penalty by firing squad.

In 1999, Vietnam's National Assembly reduced the number of capital offenses to 29 from 44, but economic crimes such as fraud and counterfeiting remained on the list. About 100 people are sentenced to death to Vietnam each year for crimes ranging from treason and corruption to drug trafficking and child rape. Earlier this year, Vietnam declared statistics about the number of people condemned to death a top state secret, amid criticism from international human rights groups about the country's number of executions.

Last month, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai instructed the ministries of justice, public security and others to find an alternative to firing squads as an execution method.

The Associated Press - November 5, 2004