On the afternoon of May 20, the National Assembly discussed in groups the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Penal Code.
The Government proposed to abolish the death penalty and replace it with a life sentence without a reduced sentence for 8/18 crimes with a death penalty in the current Penal Code.
The inspection agency recommends cautious consideration of abolishing the death penalty for greed, bribery, and illegal transportation of drugs.
Delegate Nguyen Thanh Trung (Yen Bai Delegation) said that the crimes of embezzlement of property and bribery are not crimes that violate life, so they can be handled by other measures such as life imprisonment, life imprisonment without consideration of reduced sentences, confiscation of assets, and prohibition from holding positions.
The delegate cited many countries that do not apply the death penalty for corruption, such as the EU, the US, Japan... France. China's criminal law applies a suspended death sentence in many major corruption cases, which is considered a " conditional" way of handling "cold-backed roses", for subjects with mitigating circumstances such as repentance, remedying the consequences...
According to the delegate, if the death penalty is maintained, the offender may refuse to return the property or hide the act.
Therefore, the delegate agreed with the drafting agency not to apply the death penalty for embezzlement of property and bribery, instead in the form of life imprisonment without reduction in sentence, thorough recovery of corrupt assets, and permanent ban on participation in the state apparatus.
However, according to the delegate, it is necessary to consider abolishing the death penalty for drug trafficking and transportation crimes.
The current situation of drug crimes in our country is still very complicated, transnational and increasingly sophisticated with many new forms of trading and transportation, the amount of drugs transported is often very large, which can harm many people. In addition, the social psychology still wants to keep the death penalty as a deterrent.
The delegate recommended that the drafting agency consider not immediately abolishing the death penalty for the crime of illegally transporting drugs.
However, the scope of application can be narrowed: only the death penalty can be applied for particularly serious acts (large-scale, recidivism, professional organization...). At the same time, it strengthens the distinction and clarification of responsibilities between leaders and victims.
Delegate Be Minh Duc (Cao Bang Delegation) agreed with the view of adjusting the crimes related to the death penalty. The delegate said that it is necessary to consider abolishing the death penalty related to drug crimes.
According to the delegate, the report of the Ministry of Public Security stated that the number of crimes always tends to increase, more serious in both scale and nature. According to the Government's report, drug crimes tend to increase, becoming more and more sophisticated and reckless.
In which, it stated that sanctions for violations, including both administrative and criminal, are not enough to deter, and there are many shortcomings. The delegate was concerned that there was not enough deterrence but proposed to abolish the death penalty for drug criminals.
"It is recommended to consider not abolishing the death penalty for drug-related crimes. As for other crimes, I basically agree," delegate Be Minh Duc suggested.
