Fight against and severely punish gambling crimes.

(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of July 2nd, under the chairmanship of comrades Tran Hong Chau - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; and Nguyen Van Thong - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Internal Affairs Department, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee held a conference to summarize Directive 22-CT/TU dated April 28, 2004 of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on "Strengthening leadership in the fight against gambling." Attending the conference was Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Conference scene

Comrade Tran Hong Chau – Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee – chaired the conference.

Immediately after the issuance of Directive 22-CT/TU, the Provincial Party Standing Committee led and directed Party committees and organizations at all levels, from the province to the grassroots, to develop programs and plans to actively combat gambling. The Provincial Party Propaganda Department directed agencies and units to widely disseminate Directive 22; and launched movements to "build communes, wards, agencies, and units free from social vices." Based on Directive 22-CT/TU, the Provincial People's Committee issued Action Program No. 218/CTHĐ-UBND.NC to strengthen the fight against gambling, illegal lottery schemes, and other similar crimes.

Delegates attending the Conference

Over the 10 years of implementing Directive 22-CT/TU of the Provincial Party Committee, from May 2004 to December 2013, the police force discovered and arrested 6,756 cases/27,984 individuals involved in gambling; the two-level Procuracy handled the investigation of 1,598 cases/7,329 defendants, prosecuted 1,484 cases/7,019 defendants; the two-level People's Court tried 1,387 cases/6,719 defendants. 1,396 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment, 2,067 defendants received suspended sentences, and 2,400 defendants were fined. Also during the past 10 years, law enforcement agencies discovered and arrested 339 officials, including 98 Party members; 177 officials were criminally prosecuted, and 162 officials were dealt with through other means.

Colonel Lu Van Tuong – Deputy Director of the Provincial Police Department, delivered a speech at the conference.

At the conference, many presentations shared experiences in propaganda work and the fight against gambling and related crimes in various localities. Accordingly, the issuance of Directive 22 has created a strong shift in strengthening the fight against gambling. The Directive has created a legal framework for Party organizations, government agencies, and departments to focus on implementing activities to prevent and combat gambling and organized gambling. However, some opinions suggest that the handling of gambling crimes has not been strict enough. The penalties for gambling, organized gambling, and facilitating gambling are inconsistent, thus lacking deterrent effect. Meanwhile, social practice has seen the emergence of sophisticated gambling methods and tactics, such as online gambling and organized gambling in locations difficult for law enforcement to detect and combat. Propaganda and education efforts remain limited; and the mindset of delegating the fight against these criminals to the police force still persists. The role of mass and social organizations has not been fully demonstrated. Furthermore, violations by officials and Party members involving gambling still occur, and there is a lack of coordinated handling between Party organizations and local authorities.

Mr. Tran Xuan Trung - Deputy Chief Justice of the Provincial People's Court, delivered a speech at the conference.

Speaking at the conference, Comrade Tran Hong Chau – Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee – highly appreciated the results after 10 years of implementing Directive 22. He emphasized: In the current period, gambling is becoming increasingly complex. Meanwhile, the attention of Party organizations and the political system has sometimes been insufficient. Therefore, after 10 years of implementing Directive 22, the situation of gambling is still escalating. Gambling has even become a serious crime, not just a social vice. This is an alarming issue. The handling of violators has not been commensurate; in many cases, the handling of violations by cadres and Party members has not been consistent between administrative and Party disciplinary measures.

The Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee requested that Party committees at all levels continue to direct agencies and units to effectively implement the work of combating, preventing, and deterring crime; implement Directive 22 in conjunction with the implementation of Directive 03 of the Politburo on "continuing to promote the study and emulation of Ho Chi Minh's moral example," and Directive 17-CT/TU of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on "Strengthening administrative discipline and order in agencies and units in the province," and assigned the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Department and the Provincial Police to coordinate in advising the Provincial Party Standing Committee to issue new policies.

Dao Tuan