Death penalty for eight criminal offenses lifted　

The National Assembly adopts the Law on amendments and supplements to certain articles of the Penal Code [Photo: VNA]

Hanoi (VNA) – On June 25, the 15th National Assembly passed a law on amending  the Penal Code, eliminating the death penalty for eight criminal offenses.
The law, supported by 429 out of 439 deputies (89.75 percent), revises 38 articles and introduces a new one on illegal narcotics use.

It abolishes death penalty for eight criminal offences, namley overthrowing the government, sabotaging state infrastructure, producing counterfeit medicines, waging aggressive war, espionage, illegal narcotics transport, embezzlement, and bribery.

A transitional provision converts existing death sentences for these crimes to life imprisonment if the sentences have not been carried out before July 1, with the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court overseeing the conversions.
The new law, which becomes effective from July 1, also increases the minimum prison sentences for several offenses related to the environment, food safety, and drug, while doubling the fines for crimes related to the environment, and the production and trading of counterfeit goods such as food, food additives, medicines for treatment and prevention, animal feed, fertilizers, veterinary drugs, pesticides, plant varieties, livestock breeds, food safety, as well as corruption-related crimes.