On the afternoon of April 23, with 494/494 delegates participating in approving, the National Assembly passed the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Legal Aid.
In the Report on receiving, explaining, and revising the draft law before the National Assembly deputies press the button, the Government said that the Law has added the group of "low-income workers who are accused and victims" to better ensure the right to legal assistance in criminal proceedings.
In addition, the determination of the number of people receiving legal aid needs to be based on basic social policies (poverty reduction, preferential treatment for people with meritorious services, ethnic policies...), and at the same time suitable to the socio-economic conditions of the country.
The new law passed by the National Assembly clearly stipulates the criteria and conditions for application to each group of subjects, ensuring transparency and feasibility. At the same time, it supplements regulations to open "other legal aid recipients according to the provisions of law" to ensure flexibility and suitability with practical requirements in each stage.
In addition, the law basically maintains the groups that have been legally assisted according to current regulations, but is more specific.
Those are people with meritorious services to the revolution; relatives of martyrs and people with meritorious services raising martyrs; people from poor and near-poor households; people infected with Agent Orange; people with disabilities; children; ethnic minorities in socio-economically particularly difficult areas; very small ethnic minorities; elderly people, people affected by domestic violence, people living with HIV who are receiving monthly social allowances.
People facing unexpected difficulties due to natural disasters and fires are also provided with legal assistance in cases directly related to remediation of consequences.
Victims and people who are in the process of being identified as victims of human trafficking, people under 18 years old accompanying them; individuals who are damaged but do not hire people to protect their rights according to the Law on State Compensation Liability; foreigners under international treaties of which Vietnam is a member are also legally assisted.
According to the new law, the State Legal Aid Center may establish branches as dependent units. The Center is responsible for all branches' operations. Based on actual needs and conditions, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee decides on the establishment of branches.
The Government shall specify the organization and operation of the State Legal Aid Center and its branches, as well as the order and procedures for establishment, merger or dissolution.
The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has the authority to appoint, issue cards, dismiss and revoke legal aid assistant cards.
The law takes effect from January 1, 2027.
