On the afternoon of May 20, the National Assembly discussed in groups the draft Penal Code (amended).
According to the report, the Government proposed to abolish 8/18 crimes with the death penalty frame including: Activities to overthrow the people's government; Spy crimes; Crime of destroying facilities - techniques of Vietnam; Crime of production and trading of fake goods is a medicine and preventive medicine; Illegal transportation of narcotics; Crime of property embezzlement; Guilty of accepting bribes; Crime of destroying peace, causing war invasion.
Discussing in groups, the proposal to abolish the death penalty for some crimes was the most concerned content.
Delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan (HCMC Delegation) said that he felt concerned when the Government submitted to abolish the death penalty for 4 crimes: Transporting drugs; producing and trading counterfeit goods such as medicine, medicine to prevent diseases; embezzlement; accepting bribes.
According to the delegate, the most recent was Thanh Hoa Provincial Police breaking up a case of fake drugs with 21 types of fake drugs. But this is only the surface that we have discovered. If only in reality, how terrible is it?
" Then there is the crime of embezzlement; the crime of accepting bribes, although we have done our best, who has said that it is not possible to treat it from the root or is still complicated? ", the delegate commented.
According to the delegate, we raised a humane issue when abolishing the death penalty for some crimes. "I don't agree, because our ancestors taught " those who kill are willing to die". When you did it, did you think about being punished for violating? ".
Although it is admitted that there are countries in the world that have abolished the death penalty, that is a completely different problem.
The delegate suggested that the drafting committee provide National Assembly delegates with international experience data on the death penalty for 4 crimes that she did not agree with; international experience on countries with these 4 crimes, how they are handling sentences.
"We are humane with criminals, we are cruel to our compatriots, to those who are living by the law, to the relatives of the victims" - delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan said.
Delegate Nguyen Thanh Sang (HCMC Delegation) acknowledged that amending the Penal Code was necessary and agreed with the removal of the death penalty for some crimes, but he did not agree to remove all 8 crimes as submitted by the Government.
The delegate did not agree to abolish the death penalty for the crime of illegally transporting drugs. In a drug trafficking case, to successfully carry out the act, the most important accomplice is still the transportator.
According to the delegate, in recent times, although the death sentence has been maintained, the illegal drug trafficking and transportation situation has been increasing, now transporting it tokg or tons.
"If the death sentence is abolished, it is unlikely that Vietnam will become a drug transit point abroad. They are not afraid of the death penalty, now that they have abandoned it, they do not understand" - the delegate worried.
The delegate also did not agree to abolish the death penalty for embezzlement of property and bribery. Citing the example of the Truong My Lan case, which caused millions of billions of VND in damage.
"Although they have been sentenced to death, they still overcome the consequences, because they are afraid they should overcome them. Suppose they know for sure that their sentence is not death, will they remedy the consequences?" - the delegate stated.
The delegate also did not agree to abolish the death penalty for the crime of manufacturing and trading counterfeit goods such as medicine and disease prevention drugs.
