The new law abolishes the death penalty for eight criminal offenses: the crime aimed at overthrowing the people’s government; the crime of sabotaging state infrastructure and technical facilities; the crime of producing and trading counterfeit medicines for treatment and prevention; the crime of destroying peace and causing aggressive war; the crime of espionage; that of illegally transporting narcotics; embezzlement; and bribe taking.
The National Assembly adopts the Law on amendments and supplements to certain articles of the Penal Code (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The 15th National Assembly on June 25 adopted the Law on amendments and supplements to certain articles of the Penal Code, in which the death penalty for eight criminal offenses is abolished.
Specifically, 429 out of 439 deputies present at the sitting, or 89.75% of the total number of deputies, voted in favour.
The law amends 38 articles and adds one new article on the crime of illegal use of narcotics. It abolishes the death penalty for eight criminal offenses: the crime aimed at overthrowing the people’s government; the crime of sabotaging state infrastructure and technical facilities; the crime of producing and trading counterfeit medicines for treatment and prevention; the crime of destroying peace and causing aggressive war; the crime of espionage; that of illegally transporting narcotics; embezzlement; and bribe taking.
It also includes a transitional provision: death sentence pronounced before July 1 for persons convicted of the above eight crimes but not yet executed shall no longer be carried out. The Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court will decide to convert the death sentence to life imprisonment.
The new ꦫlaw, which becomes effective from July 1, also increases the minimum prison sentences for several offenses related to the environment, food safety, and drug, while doubling the fines for crimes related to the environment, and the production and trading of counterfeit goods such as food, food additives, medicines for treatment and prevention, animal feed, fertilisers, veterinary drugs, pesticides, plant varieties, livestock breeds, food safety, as well as corruption-related crimes./.
Legislators engaged in the 9th session’s deliberations on May 27 morning over the proposed amendments to the Penal Code that would eliminate the death penalty for illegal drug transport, replacing it with a life imprisonment without sentence reductions.
In its proposal, the Government recognised the death penalty provisions in the current law prove several inadequacies. Specifically, the penalty ranges, spanning 20 years’ imprisonment to life sentence or death penalty, is rather broad, making the application challenging.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on June 24 afternoon approved in principle an ordinance amending and supplementing several provisions of six ordinances relating to the jurisdiction of the People’s Courts and relevant agencies.
Vietnam will continue to coordinate closely with and make positive contributions to the initiatives and collective work of the Group of 77 (G77) developing nations, said Ambassador Do Hung Viet, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN.
Speaking at the session, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the urgency of the amended railway law, noting the country is currently implementing many railway development projects such as the North–South high-speed railway, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi urban rail systems, and the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong line.
Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed a decision establishing a Vietnamese sub-committee under the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation between the Vietnamese and Spanish Governments.
Young lawmakers must be remain true to revolutionary ideals, loyal to the Party, nation, and people, and to resist the temptations of personal gain or power. They must dare to think, dare to act, dare to innovate, and dare to take responsibility.
Through many ups and downs of history, Cambodia-Vietnam relations have become increasingly closer and stronger. The ties are currently developing based on the motto of “Good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability” from 2005 until today.
The resolution, covering seven articles, delineates clear criteria, principles, procedures, and responsibilities for resolving problems caused by legal regulations.
The newly adopted law stipulates that the people’s procuracy system comprises the Supreme People’s Procuracy; people’s procuracies at the provincial and municipal level; regional people’s procuracies; and military procuracies at all levels.
For 2025 and beyond, Vietnam and Mozambique have identified key cooperation priorities, including the continued implementation of existing frameworks and the expansion of ties into new areas such as renewable energy, construction, IT and digital transformation.
Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu stressed the need to enhance the performance of institutions established under the Convention, thereby reinforcing the role and vitality of UNCLOS, referred to as the “Constitution for the Oceans,” in maintaining maritime order, conserving and sustainably utilising marine resources, and contributing to global peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Regarding PM Chinh’s attendance at the WEF’s meeting in China for the third year in a row and Vietnam’s contributions to the forum, Ma said the Vietnamese leader has shared practical experiences and proposals on green economy aimed at facilitating trade and attracting foreign investment within the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); and offering fresh ideas for shaping strategies in economics, trade, and sustainable development.
In 2019, the Vietnamese association in PEI was established as a non-governmental organisation to support integration and development within the community. It has since organised a range of activities to maintain cultural identity, foster community cohesion, and strengthen ties with the homeland, while also contributing to the development of the host society.
Vietnam’s participation at the meeting underscores the country’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification, and proactive international integration in a broad, deep, and effective manner. It also conveys Vietnam’s ambition and determination to enter a new era - the era of the nation’s rise.
The amended law will take effect on July 1, 2025, except for provisions on civil servant evaluation in Section 3, Chapter IV, which will be implemented from January 1, 2026.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation at the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, China, reflects the Vietnamese Party and Government’s strong commitment to the Vietnam–China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, while injecting fresh momentum into bilateral economic and trade cooperation amid a volatile global economic landscape.
A key amendment was made to Clause 2, Article 16, which now stipulates that a child born to one parent who is a Vietnamese citizen and the other a foreign national shall be granted Vietnamese nationality, if both parents agree to choose Vietnamese nationality for the child during birth registration with competent Vietnamese authorities
