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Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong just lately commuted the sentences of a number of inmates on loss of life row to life in jail as a part of a normal amnesty, however rights campaigners and authorized consultants mentioned the transfer shouldn’t be seen as an indication that the nation is bettering its rights file.
As an alternative, they mentioned, Vietnam’s liberal use of the loss of life sentence is a part of a bid by the federal government to maintain its residents in line and burnish its worldwide picture by usually introduced acts of clemency.
On Dec. 27, Thuong granted amnesty to 18 loss of life row inmates, commuting their sentences to life in jail. Greater than a month later, 5 different loss of life row inmates had their sentences equally lowered after they filed a petition to Thuong.
California-based activist Nguyen Ba Tung of the Vietnam Human Rights Community informed RFA Vietnamese that the amnesty was merely a part of a bid by the federal government to “beautify Vietnam’s picture on the world stage.”
“The federal government retains the loss of life penalty as a approach to menace the individuals,” he mentioned in a cellphone interview. “On the finish of the 12 months, or on particular holidays, they let the president grant an amnesty to point out that they’re ‘humane.’ However worldwide human rights teams can see by this act.”
Vietnam’s judiciary is infamous for its utility of the loss of life sentence. Eighteen prison costs within the nation’s penal code carry most sentences of execution – most of that are associated to drug crimes.
Amnesty Worldwide’s newest annual report on loss of life sentences and executions, launched in Might 2023, ranked Vietnam as eighth amongst nations with essentially the most recorded loss of life sentences in 2022, with at the very least 102.
Simply weeks previous to Thuong’s determination to grant amnesty to the 5 loss of life row inmates, a court docket in Nghe An province handed down 9 loss of life sentences to convicted traffickers from a busted drug ring.
Amnesty ‘not a progressive act’
Nguyen Van Dai, a veteran lawyer within the capital Hanoi, informed RFA that the applying and commutation of the loss of life sentence is all a part of a method by the federal government to threaten its residents at residence and keep away from criticism overseas.
“Yearly, Vietnam arms out a whole bunch of loss of life sentences to drug traffickers and murderers,” he mentioned. “If all of the loss of life inmates have been executed, the worldwide group would pillory Vietnam. In order that they discover inmates who have been sentenced to loss of life for much less heinous prison acts and grant them amnesty.”
Dai dismissed the concept of amnesty for loss of life row inmates as progress or an indication of judicial reform.
“Progress implies that clemency must be granted to all prisoners, each political or prison, however it’s by no means utilized in circumstances of nationwide safety,” he mentioned. “This can be a type of discrimination and I don’t take into account amnesty a progressive act.”
In 2022, Vietnam granted clemency to 31 loss of life row inmates, 4 of whom have been international nationals.
In September 2023, Vietnam executed loss of life row inmate Le Van Manh, regardless of claims by Amnesty Worldwide that his case was “mired in critical irregularities and violations of the precise to a good trial,” and calls by the worldwide group to remain his sentence.
Manh was sentenced to loss of life in 2005, when he was 23 years previous, for allegedly raping and killing a feminine pupil from his village earlier that 12 months. He had pleaded not responsible to the fees and maintained his innocence till his execution.
Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.
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