How will kidnapping for the purpose of appropriating property be handled?

Reply:According to the provisions of Article 169 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017), the crime of kidnapping for the purpose of appropriating property is stipulated as follows:

1. Anyone who kidnaps another person as a hostage to appropriate property shall be sentenced to imprisonment from 02 years to 07 years.

2. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 05 years to 12 years:

a) Organized;

b) Professional in nature;

c) Using weapons, means or other dangerous tricks;

d) For persons under 16 years of age;

d) For 02 people or more;

e) Appropriation of property worth from VND 50,000,000 to under VND 200,000,000;

g) Causing injury or damage to the health of the hostage with a bodily injury rate of 11% to 30%;

h) Causing mental and behavioral disorders in the victim from 11% to 45%;

i) Adversely affecting social security, order and safety;

k) Dangerous recidivism.

3. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 10 to 18 years:

a) Appropriation of property worth from VND 200,000,000 to under VND 500,000,000;

b) Causing injury or damage to the health of the hostage with a bodily injury rate of 31% to 60%;

c) Causing mental and behavioral disorders of the victim of 46% or more.

4. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 15 to 20 years or life imprisonment:

a) Appropriation of property worth VND 500,000,000 or more;

b) Causing injury or damage to the health of 01 person with a body injury rate of 61% or more or causing injury or damage to the health of 02 or more people with a body injury rate of 31% or more for each person;

c) Causing mental and behavioral disorders in 02 or more people, with each person's rate being 46% or higher;

d) Causing death.

5. A person who prepares to commit this crime shall be sentenced to imprisonment from 01 year to 05 years.

6. The offender may also be fined from VND 10,000,000 to VND 100,000,000, placed on probation, banned from residence from 01 to 05 years or have part or all of his/her property confiscated.

The basic penalty for kidnapping another person as a hostage for the purpose of appropriating property is imprisonment from 2 to 7 years. Offenders with aggravating circumstances may be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. In addition, there are additional penalties such as fines from 10 million VND to 100 million VND; confiscation of property, probation or residence ban from 01 to 05 years.