Vietnam to remove death penalty for embezzlement, sparing tycoon's life
Share this @internewscast.com

HANOI, Vietnam — Starting next month, Vietnam will eliminate the death penalty for eight crimes, including embezzlement and government overthrow activities, according to the parliament on Wednesday. This change will spare the life of a tycoon involved in a $12 billion fraud case.

The country’s lawmaking entity, the National Assembly, unanimously approved the Criminal Code amendment earlier on Wednesday to remove the death penalty for these offenses, as noted in an official statement.

Other offenses that will no longer result in the death penalty are the destruction of state property, the production of counterfeit medicine, endangering peace, initiating invasive wars, espionage, and drug trafficking, reported the official Vietnam News Agency.

The maximum sentence for these crimes will now be life imprisonment, the report said.

Those who were sentenced to death for these offenses before July 1 but have not yet been executed will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, the report added.

These will include real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, the chairwoman of real estate developer Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, who was sentenced to death last year on embezzlement charges.

Lan’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

“According to the amendment of the Criminal Code, her sentence will automatically be reduced to life imprisonment,” lawyer Ngo Anh Tuan, who is not part of Lan’s defense team, told Reuters.

Ten offenses will remain subject to capital punishment in Vietnam, including murder, treason, terrorism and the sexual abuse of children, according to the report. Drug trafficking will also remain a capital offense.

Capital punishment data is a state secret in Vietnam and it is not known how many people are currently on death row in the country. Lethal injection is the only method of execution after firing squads were abolished in 2011.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Fake Contractor Who Scammed Hurricane Ian Victims Out of Thousands Receives 5-Year Sentence

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A man who posed as a contractor…

Two Individuals Found Guilty and Sentenced on Smyth County Drug Charges

SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) — Two men were convicted on drug charges…

Violent Encounter Erupts Between Protesters and Federal Agents in Downtown L.A.

Editor’s Note: KTLA has emailed officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland…

Caitlin Clark of Fever to Skip 3-Point Contest and WNBA All-Star Game

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark will sit out this weekend’s 3-Point Contest and…

Hawaiian Airlines Plans to Cut Over 200 Jobs

HONOLULU (KHON2) — More than 200 Hawaiian Airlines employees will receive Worker…

Amazon Offer: Expedited Delivery of Hawaii-Grown Pineapples to Mainland

HONOLULU (KHON2) – A sweet new deal is taking flight in Hawaii.…

Youth Master Agility Course at Statesboro Police Academy Program

STATESBORO, Ga. () — Statesboro Police challenged a group of teenagers to…

French Mural Depicts Statue of Liberty Shielding Eyes as Commentary on Trump

ROUBAIX, France — As statements go, it’s a big one. A massive…

EIU Football Aims for a Comeback in 2025

CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — In 2024, Eastern Illinois football struggled throughout the…

Understanding Kristi Noem’s Proposal to Simplify TSA Regulations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been exploring ways to lighten…

Committee Delays Vote on Proposed Budget Reductions

Top officials from the Trump administration visited Alcatraz Island in California today…

Effective Strategies in Savannah’s Recruitment Success

ATLANTA () — Georgia’s head football coach, Kirby Smart, is widely regarded…