Vietnamese government officials inspect heroin before its destroyed

VIETNAM: SENTENCES OF DEATH REVIEWED BY NA

April 15, 2009: the Vietnamese National Assembly Justice Committee presented a report that asked to abolish the death sentence for illegally storing, transporting and appropriating drugs, maintaining the death sentence for those guilty of illegally trading drugs.
The National Assembly Standing Committee did not agree with the proposal to abolish the death sentence for crimes of illegally storing, transporting and appropriating drugs.
Senior lieutenant general Le The Tiem, deputy minister of Public Security, said it would be necessary to maintain death sentences for all crimes under Article 194 of the current Criminal Code.
The reason was that people who illegally stored and transported drugs did so seeking large profits, despite the serious impacts of drugs, he said.
At the end of the session, NA Deputy Chairman Uong Chu Luu asked the law's compiling board to consider these opinions for revision. The full text of the draft Criminal Code will be proposed at the upcoming 5th NA session. (Sources: Thai News Service, 20/04/2009)