Announcing the President's Decision on amnesty in 2024

At the press conference, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pham Thanh Ha announced the Decision on amnesty in 2024 of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pham Thanh Ha emphasized that amnesty is one of the legal institutions stipulated in Article 88 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, institutionalized by the 2018 Amnesty Law (formerly the 2007 Amnesty Law).

From 2009 to present, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has carried out 9 amnesties on important events and national holidays, amnestying more than 92,000 prisoners who have had good reform, work and study processes and returned to the community and society.

The results of the amnesty rounds have ensured political, legal, professional and foreign affairs requirements that have been approved by the people in the country and highly appreciated by international public opinion; continuing to affirm the consistent policy of the Party and State of Vietnam in promoting and protecting human rights in a fair and equal manner for all citizens, including those serving prison sentences.

With the President's amnesty decisions, tens of thousands of people have enjoyed the joy of clemency, soon returned to reunite with their families, ready to rebuild their lives.

Most of the amnestied people have returned to their place of residence, stabilized their lives, and made a living honestly. The rate of amnestied people re-offending is very low. That is the greatest humane mark of the amnesty policy, clearly reflecting the priority of ensuring and promoting human rights in all policies of the Party and the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

"Based on the humane tradition of the nation and the lenient policy of the Party and State of Vietnam towards criminals, as well as the results of the implementation of amnesty work, the actual situation of the execution of prison sentences in the past time; at the request of the Government, on July 30, 2024, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam signed Decision No. 758 on amnesty in 2024 on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 2024) and the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 2024)", Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pham Thanh Ha said.

The 2024 amnesty decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam clearly states: Implement amnesty and early release of prisoners for those sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or life imprisonment on the occasion of the 79th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 2024) and the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 2024). The time served in prison for consideration of amnesty is calculated up to September 30, 2024.

Subjects of amnesty include: People serving a fixed-term prison sentence, people sentenced to life imprisonment that has been reduced to a fixed-term prison sentence, and people whose prison sentence is temporarily suspended.

Conditions for being proposed for amnesty include: People who are serving a fixed-term prison sentence, people sentenced to life imprisonment that have been reduced to a fixed-term prison sentence and are proposed for amnesty must meet all the following conditions: Having made much progress, having a good sense of reform and being classified as having served the prison sentence fairly or well according to the provisions of the law on the execution of criminal sentences; having served at least half of the prison sentence in the case of being sentenced to a fixed-term prison sentence; if the prison sentence has been previously reduced, the reduced term shall not be counted towards the time served in the prison sentence; having served at least 15 years in the case of being sentenced to life imprisonment that has been reduced to a fixed-term prison sentence; if after being reduced to a fixed-term prison sentence, the prison sentence is further reduced, the subsequent reduced term shall not be counted towards the time served in the prison sentence; having completed serving the additional penalty of a fine and having paid court fees; has completed the obligation to return property, compensate for damages, and other civil obligations towards people sentenced to prison for corruption crimes;...

A person whose prison sentence is temporarily suspended and is proposed for amnesty must meet the following conditions: Having made much progress, having a good sense of reform, and being classified as having served the prison sentence fairly or well according to the provisions of the law on the execution of criminal sentences during the time of serving the prison sentence before the decision on temporary suspension was made; having served the prison sentence specified in Point b, Clause 1 of this Article; strictly complying with the law during the time of temporary suspension of the prison sentence...

Regarding amnesty in special cases, the Decision clearly states that the Government shall preside over and coordinate with the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy and relevant agencies and organizations to prepare dossiers of persons proposed for amnesty in special cases according to Articles 22 and 23 of the Amnesty Law to submit to the President for consideration and decision.

The Decision also emphasized that the Government directs the organization of propaganda and dissemination of the meaning, purpose and content of amnesty activities; directs the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense, other Government agencies and People's Committees at all levels to implement amnesty in accordance with the provisions of the Amnesty Law, the President's Decision on amnesty in 2024 and documents guiding its implementation.

Responding to questions from the press about the number of foreign prisoners pardoned this time, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said that according to the announcement of the competent authorities in Vietnam, there are currently about 643 prisoners of foreign nationality serving their sentences in temporary detention facilities in Vietnam. After reviewing the records, the competent authorities of Vietnam will have a specific announcement of the foreign prisoners pardoned this time.

At the press conference, Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, also had specific discussions with the press about the process, procedures, and tasks of implementing amnesty in 2024.