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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

North Korea: Defense minister's execution officially confirmed

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June 15, 2015: South Korean media reported that North Korea had dispatched official bulletins announcing the execution of Hyon Yong-chol, the former minister of the People’s Armed Forces who was believed to have been executed in Pyongyang around 30 April.

An unnamed source in China said the bulletin confirmed Hyon was executed for insubordination and disobeying the party leadership.

South Korean news network YTN reported the news was sent from North Korean embassies in China and other locations to the host governments, including Beijing.

Since the purge of Hyon, the defence minister has been deleted from official state footage. 

Sources: UPI, HOC, June 15, 2015

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Location: North Korea
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