Independence Day brings much joy to those who have gone astray.

The joy of homecoming

Before the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Tiger, NVH (born in 1993, from Quynh Luu) was arrested for illegally trading 12 kg of firecrackers and sentenced to 12 months in prison. Having spent the Lunar New Year in prison, H. understands better than anyone the price he paid for his lack of legal knowledge and greed. H. is one of six inmates serving sentences at the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center who were granted amnesty on the occasion of National Day, September 2nd. “Spending the Lunar New Year away from my family, and now being able to be with everyone for Independence Day, I'm so happy. Thanks to the amnesty, I was released from prison 1 month and 18 days early. Only after being here did I realize how precious a day of freedom, a day of reunion with loved ones and family, truly is,” H. confided.

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Dung - Superintendent of the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center - presents gifts to congratulate inmates who have been granted amnesty. Photo: Nhu Binh

Upon hearing that his name was on the list of those granted amnesty by the President, prisoner NBD (from Nghi Loc) was overjoyed and couldn't sleep all night, eagerly awaiting the day of the amnesty. Mr. D. had built a successful cattle and buffalo farm, but his business failed, resulting in losses. Desperate, he resorted to forging documents, leading to a 36-month prison sentence. Determined to reform and return home soon, prisoner D. received one sentence reduction of two months.amnestyReleased from prison 9 months and 7 days early.

Ms. NTN happily welcomes her younger brother, who was granted early release from prison on the occasion of National Day, September 2nd. Photo: Nhu Binh

After completing the paperwork, he took off his prisoner's uniform, put on the clothes he had prepared beforehand, and nervously waited for the prison officer to lead him to the gate. Seeing his family standing across the road, he waved. His sister hurried across the road and came closer; the two siblings embraced each other.

“I’m so happy, my dear. I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so overjoyed. This morning, the whole family woke up early and came here to welcome him. Thank you to the officers at the prison for creating favorable conditions and helping him to focus on his rehabilitation, allowing him to receive a reduced sentence and return home to his family,” said Mrs. NTN, Mr. D.’s older sister, with tears welling up in her eyes. The woman was deeply moved witnessing this special day for her brother, whose hair was already turning gray, the day he had served his sentence and become a free man, returning to his wife, children, and family…

To become a useful member of family and society.

The person with the longest sentence to be pardoned this time is NVK (from Hung Yen province), with 5 years in prison for "Violating road traffic regulations". Through a round of sentence reduction and this pardon decision, K. shortened his sentence by nearly 2 years to return to his wife and two young children. Receiving the pardon decision, a gift bag, travel money, remaining deposit money, and a brand new citizen ID card from the officers, K. went around shaking hands with each of his fellow inmates.

He wore the shirt given to him by the supervisors and correctional officers. The shirt, still with its original creases, was not only a token of affection from the correctional officers and teachers at his special school, but also a message of encouragement, urging him to quickly leave the past behind, reintegrate into life, and rebuild his life, truly becoming an honest citizen, useful to his family and society.

NVK tightly embraces his young wife as they step out of the detention center. Photo: Nhu Binh

Mr. K and five other inmates who had just received their amnesty were escorted to the prison gate to be handed over to their families. His wife, a woman thin from the worries of the past three years without her husband, had traveled by bus from Hung Yen overnight and was waiting there. “Go home, try to settle down soon, and never come back here,” Lieutenant Colonel Le Xuan Hanh, head of the inmate management sub-camp at the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center, said, shaking Khai’s hand, half-jokingly.

“Thank you to the prison warden and the officers for always encouraging and helping me to feel secure in my rehabilitation, striving in labor and training so that today I can receive the clemency of the Party and the State. Returning to a new life may not be easy, but I will try my best to maintain myself, quickly reintegrate into life, and become a useful person for my family, community, and society,” Mr. K. clasped the hand of the prison guard, promising his special teacher and also promising himself before moving forward to embrace his wife who came to welcome him back to his family and two young children.

Detention center officials hand over citizen identification cards, food allowances, and travel expenses to those recently granted amnesty. Photo: Nhu Binh

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Dung, Superintendent of the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center, stated: “The process of reviewing and recommending pardons at the Detention Center has been implemented promptly, seriously, strictly, accurately, and in accordance with the conditions, the correct subjects, the regulations of the law, and the guidance of the Central Pardon Advisory Council, ensuring openness, transparency, impartiality, fairness, and democracy right from the inmate groups.”

The amnesty granted on the occasion of National Day affirms the humane and lenient policy of the Party and State towards convicted criminals serving prison sentences, thereby encouraging them to actively study, work, reform, and strive to become useful members of society; and motivating those who have not yet received amnesty this time to confidently reform, strive, and train themselves to soon receive leniency in subsequent amnesty rounds.”