VietNamNet Bridge – The provisions on enforcing the death
penalty by lethal injection was ratified in 2009, but until now it has not been
applicable for the reason of lack of drugs.
National Assembly Vice Chairman
Huynh Ngoc Son said at a group discussion at the ongoing 4th NA session, that
the police have established 10 places for experiment with the new form of death
penalty execution by lethal injection instead of firing. However, this is
impossible because Vietnam cannot import poison.
"We have to import the drug
from the EU while they ask us to abandon the death penalty," said Son.
A report of the judiciary body
shows that there are nearly 450 defendants who are eligible for execution, but
there is no poison. During that time, many prisoners petitioned for early
execution. Some of them were sick and died. Detention camps are also difficult
in managing these subjects.
The Ministry of Health and the
relevant agencies are looking for drugs but they do not know when will they be
able to buy it, Mr. Son said. In addition, after having the drugs, Vietnam also
needs time to test, so it is not simple.
The NA Vice Chair said this
difficult situation cannot last long because if the death penalty is not
implemented, it is sufficient to provide a deterrent to crime.
"I suggest to amend the law,
meaning that if lethal injection cannot be implemented, the former form of
firing should be resumed. The Government does not agree. But we can still apply
shooting without causing pressure on the shooter thanks to advanced science and
technology," Son explained.
NA deputy Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy (Da
Nang city) was also interested in the case of nearly 450 people who were
sentenced to death since 2009, but the death penalty have not been authorized
because of the lack of poison. "How can we handle these cases?" Ms.
Thuy questioned.
Chairman of the NA’s Legal
Committee Phan Trung Ly called this situation "irony" because a
couple of years ago, when amending the law, the Government earnestly proposed
to switch from firing to lethal injection, reasoning that firing is costly,
lack of firing ranges, causing pressure on the execution force.
When the NA approved the
amendment, the government quickly implemented the conditions to carry out
execution by lethal injection. The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry
of Defense have invested in many execution rooms with modern equipment under
American model. Hundreds of staff were also trained to carry out the lethal
injection.
According to Mr. Phan Trung Ly,
the preparation was very fast, but until the final stage they knew that they
could not purchase poison because "no one sells drugs for killing
people."
A decree of the Government that
guides the implementation of the law specifies three types of poison used in
the implementation of the death penalty. The Ministry of Public Security said
the responsibility to import these drugs belongs to the Ministry of Health
while the Ministry of Health said that it is the job of the Ministry of Public
Security.
Ly complained that government
agencies lack of accountability in the implementation of the provisions of the
law. "Why do we have to import drugs? Vietnam can not produce these
drugs?" Mr. Ly asked.
The Chairman of the NA’s Legal
Committee proposed to resume the old form of firing as to solve criminals
awaiting execution and reduce the burden on prisons.
Director of the Legislative
Research Institute, Mr. Dinh Xuan Thao, suggested fixing the law in the
direction of applying both firing and lethal injection.
In the long term, Vietnam needs
to develop laws in the direction of minimizing the crimes with the death
penalty. This penalty should be imposed on serious crimes. The others can be
reduced to life imprisonment but it is the "real imprisonment" - life
in prison without parole, Mr. Tho said.
L.Nhung - X.Linh
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