Vietnam Abolishes Death Penalty for Eight Crimes, Spares Life of Tycoon in $12 Billion Fraud Case

Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan (C) looks on at a court in Ho Chi Minh City on November 4, 2024

Vietnam's National Assembly has officially removed the death penalty for eight criminal offenses, including embezzlement and attempts to overthrow the government, in a sweeping amendment to the country’s Criminal Code that takes effect from July 1. The move will spare the life of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, who was sentenced to death last year in connection with a $12 billion fraud case.

The amendment, ratified unanimously by the lawmaking body on Wednesday, shifts the maximum penalty for the affected crimes to life imprisonment. Other offenses that will no longer carry the death sentence include vandalizing state property, espionage, initiating invasive wars, manufacturing counterfeit medicines, carrying drugs, and crimes against peace.

Those currently on death row for these crimes will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment if their executions have not yet been carried out. This includes Lan, chairwoman of Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, who was found guilty in one of the country’s largest-ever financial scandals. Her sentence will be automatically reduced, according to Vietnamese legal experts.

Despite the changes, Vietnam will continue to impose the death penalty for ten offenses, including murder, treason, terrorism, drug trafficking, and the sexual abuse of children. Drug trafficking, a separate offense from carrying drugs, remains punishable by death.

Vietnam does not disclose official data on executions, as information related to capital punishment is classified as a state secret. The country uses lethal injection as its sole method of execution, having abolished firing squads in 2011.