Deputy Minister of Public Security: Amnesty on September 2nd ensures publicity, transparency, fairness and targets the right subjects

Implementing the President's decision on amnesty on the occasion of National Day September 2, the Ministry of Public Security - Standing Agency of the Advisory CouncilamnestyCoordinated with relevant ministries and branches to direct, guide, and organize the implementation of amnesty work in 2021 in accordance with the provisions of law.

Despite facing many difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing the direction of the President and the Chairman of the 2021 Amnesty Advisory Council to "create the most favorable conditions for amnestied prisoners to return to a safe place of residence", all preparations for the announcement ceremony of the Amnesty Decision are now ready.

Reporter interviewed Major General Le Quoc Hung - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Public Security, Standing Member of the 2021 Amnesty Advisory Council on this issue.

Major General Le Quoc Hung:After the President's decision on amnesty in 2021, we directed the implementation of a very democratic, objective, fair and transparent process of reviewing and approving records in accordance with the law.

The review of dossiers is deployed from the reformatory facilities to the District and Provincial Criminal Execution Councils and up to the interdisciplinary expert teams for appraisal. Then, the appraisal teams of the Amnesty Advisory Council review and finally the general meeting of the Amnesty Advisory Council reviews the final decision before reporting to the Government to submit to the President to sign the amnesty decision. This process is guaranteed to be very strict, objective, transparent, democratic, public and in accordance with the law.

PV:In the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, what support has the Ministry of Public Security provided to help amnestied people return to their localities safely and quickly reintegrate into the community, sir?

Major General Le Quoc Hung: We have also proactively prepared a very detailed plan. After the President signs the amnesty decisions, we will organize tests for the pardoned prisoners to ensure they are negative for SARS Co-V-2 before announcing the amnesty decision to allow them to return to their localities.

At the same time, to ensure absolute safety so that no prisoner is affected by the epidemic and cannot carry out the amnesty decision, we have asked the police of all units and localities to advise the Party Committees and authorities at all levels where the amnestied person is expected to return to have a plan to welcome and help them move home safely in accordance with epidemic prevention regulations.

Prisons must provide support for clothing, transportation, and meals along the way in accordance with the law, and at the same time support difficult cases so that no one is unable to reintegrate into the community.

On the other hand, we have also directed the local police to proactively plan to welcome and resolve policies and regimes for people after being pardoned, such as: re-issuing personal documents, registering their household registration, and introducing them to organizations and businesses to have the opportunity to find jobs, stabilize their lives soon, reintegrate into the community, and not re-offend.

PV: For foreign prisoners who are granted amnesty this time, how is the support carried out, sir?

Major General Le Quoc Hung:Foreign prisoners are treated equally with Vietnamese prisoners. This time, we have proactively discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that the ministry can have specific discussions with the Embassies, Consulates General, and diplomatic agencies of countries with pardoned prisoners, so that they can proactively plan to welcome and receive pardoned prisoners to return home, reunite with their families, and ensure safety in disease prevention and control.

PV: Thank you!