Hanoi (VNA) – More than 4,000 offenders who repented their crimes whileserving prison sentences are expected to be granted amnesty this year.

This was announced on November 27 at a meeting of the Amnesty ConsultancyCouncil, which approved the list of offenders proposed for the President’s amnestydecision.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the AmnestyConsultancy Council Truong Hoa Binh said the amnesty policy reflected thenation’s humanitarian tradition.

Vietnam is strict towards repeat of offenders and dangerous ones, but alsotolerant and forgiving towards those repenting while serving their sentences,performing their duties to the best of their abilities and contributing to theefficiency of the national crime prevention programme, said Binh.

The law provides for favourable conditions for the reintegration of releasedinmates into society, he said.

Deputy PM Binh asked relevant ministries to ensure that the amnesty decisionsare implemented seriously, transparently and in accordance with Stateregulations.

He emphasised that authorities at different levels should help amnesty recipientsstabilise their lives and eliminate discrimination against them.

Since 2009, a total of 81,795 prisoners have received early release and 919others given reprieves of their sentences.

Although the number of people receiving amnesty is large, the nation’spolitical security and social public order is table, officials said.

The rate of prisoners given amnesty who recidivated was low. For example, sixmonths after 2015’s amnesty release, 83 former prisoners returned to crime, arate of 0.44 percent out of the 18,537 granted amnesty that year.

Vietnam typically grants amnesty to prisoners on major national holidays,including the Lunar New Year (Tet) and Reunification Day.-VNA