Vietnam government proposes scrapping death penalty for six offenses
HANOI, Vietnam — 20 August 2026, state media reported that the Vietnamese government had proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offenses, including illegal drug trafficking and the rape of minors, as part of amendments to the country’s Penal Code submitted to the National Assembly on Thursday. Luong Tam Quang, Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security, […] The post Vietnam government proposes…
Hanoi, Vietnam - On August 20, 2026, state media announced that the Vietnamese government had proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offenses as part of amendments to the Penal Code submitted to the National Assembly. Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang stated that the death penalty would remain for only four offenses: treason, murder, terrorism, and drug production.
The proposal comes after legal amendments in July 2025 abolished the death penalty for eight offenses, including embezzlement and actions aimed at overthrowing the government. These changes have allowed prosecutors to consider aggravating circumstances when sentencing those who flee and are wanted by authorities or commit crimes against the state.
However, Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over other proposed changes that would increase penalties for acts violating state interests, expressing doubts about the need to grant police more power that could be abused. The National Assembly is expected to discuss the amendments in the coming weeks before voting on them during their October session, with the amended Penal Code set to take effect in March 2027.
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