Vietnam: National Assembly considers execution by shooting

Execution by firing squad in Vietnam

Many National Assembly deputies yesterday expressed their lack of sympathy with the execution by lethal injection.

Deputy Pham Van Ha of Nghe An province said Decree 82/2011/CP on the implementation of the death penalty by lethal injection took effect on November 1, 2011, but it has not been implemented yet because of lacking drugs.

The Decree also sets out the three kinds of drugs for execution: drugs for anesthesia, drugs to paralyze the nerves, muscles, and drugs to stop the heart's activity. But until now Vietnam has not been able to find the sources of drug supply so more than 500 prisoners under death penalty are still awaiting lethal injection.

"I propose the Government to urgently take measures to implement the law on execution by lethal injection. In addition, it is necessary to clarify and report to the National Assembly on the responsibility of ministries for the implementation of the law on execution," said Ha.

Deputy Huynh Nghia of Danang City said, as being reported by the procuracy sector, there are 508 prisoners under death sentence. The verdicts have been legally valid but the execution cannot be enforceable. Three of them died due to illness; three committed suicides; and some asked for early execution due to psychological stress. The procuracy sector claims that the slow implementation of execution has increased the pressure on the authorities and the prisoners under death penalty.

Nghia asked the Government to seriously learn from experience in submitting bills to the National Assembly for approval, to avoid deadlock like the above law. He also suggested the temporarily implementation of the death penalty in the form of shooting, while waiting for drugs.

"I propose the Government to focus on directing the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security and other relevant agencies to urgently study to produce these drugs in 2013. Simultaneously, the government should have measures to closely manage prisoners under death penalty, to avoid adverse effects," Nghia said.

Deputy Tran Van Do said the government should allow production of poisons in Vietnam because Vietnam would certainly be unable to import poisons from any country in the world for lethal injection, in the context that the world tends to limit death penalty.

Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong said that the Government would amend the Decree in the fourth quarter so the death penalty will be implemented as soon as possible.

The development of drugs depends on the Ministry of Health, so if it is uncertain yet, the Ministry of Justice agrees with delegate Huynh Nghia to propose the National Assembly to permit the temporary return to execution by shooting, he added.

Source: vietnam.net, November 2, 2012

Oct 29, 2012

Vietnam: Lethal injection switch stalls over lack of drugs. Though approved by the National Assembly in 2009, execution by lethal injection under the Law on Criminal Verdict Execution has been delayed two times and has still ...

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