The number of corruption-related crimes prosecuted has increased.
In the first six months of 2013, the total number of newly initiated criminal cases was over 38,000, an increase of 0.2% compared to the same period in 2012. Notably, there was an increase in serious and complex crimes, especially those in the banking and drug sectors. Significantly, corruption cases detected and prosecuted increased by 5.7% in the number of cases and 21.5% in the number of defendants.
This information was released by the Supreme People's Procuracy (SPP) at a press conference on the afternoon of July 22nd regarding the procuracy's work in the first six months of 2013 and the implementation of Resolution 37/2012/QHH 13 dated November 23, 2013, on judicial work in 2013.
According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Chief of the Office of the Supreme People's Procuracy, in the first six months of 2013, procuracies at all levels proactively and closely supervised cases from the moment they were initiated; they closely monitored the progress of investigations, proactively set forth investigation requirements, accelerated the pace and improved the quality of case resolution, minimizing wrongful convictions and the failure to prosecute criminals.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung speaks at the press conference. (Photo: TH).
In addition, the Procuratorates at all levels have strengthened supervision of judicial activities in the criminal, civil, administrative, and economic fields; promptly detected violations in procedural activities, and issued appeals and recommendations requesting the investigating agencies, courts, and enforcement agencies to correct and remedy violations. Accordingly, the Procuratorates at all levels issued 187 recommendations to investigating agencies; issued 370 appeals against first-instance criminal judgments; and issued 224 recommendations to courts at all levels to request the rectification of violations in criminal trial activities…
In addition, it actively participated in contributing opinions to the Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution; summarized eight years of implementing Resolution No. 49-NQ/TW of the Politburo in the people's procuracy sector; summarized practical implementation and researched the development of the revised Criminal Procedure Code and the revised Law on the Organization of the People's Procuracy...
Also during the past six months, following the National Assembly's issuance of Resolution 37, the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People's Procuracy issued Directive No. 01/CT-VKSTC dated January 2, 2013, on the implementation of the Resolution and the key tasks of the sector; organized, disseminated, and thoroughly implemented it to all units throughout the sector; promptly issued specific guidance documents on the management and monitoring of law enforcement in judicial activities; supplemented, amended, and perfected the System of Basic Indicators for evaluating professional work; amended and supplemented the Regulations on information and reporting regimes… Procuracies at all levels have also proactively advised Party committees on measures to strengthen leadership over judicial agencies in carrying out the key tasks outlined in Resolution 37.
In the last six months of the year, the Supreme People's Procuracy has set out several key tasks, focusing on specific solutions to "Strengthen prosecutorial responsibility in investigation activities, linking prosecution with investigation activities," "improving the quality of argumentation by prosecutors at trials," etc. The procuracy sector will continue to research and contribute opinions to the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution, accelerate the preparation of draft laws (amended Criminal Procedure Code, draft Law on the Organization of the People's Procuracy); and summarize the eight years of implementing Resolution 49-NQ/TW dated June 2, 2005, of the Politburo on the strategy for judicial reform until 2020…
At the press conference, regarding the information that corruption crimes detected and prosecuted in the past six months have increased compared to the same period last year, Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung provided further information: Of the 149 cases and 317 defendants prosecuted for corruption, the majority were concentrated in the fields of finance, land management, and projects at large corporations and banks. Among these, there were particularly serious cases that caused public outrage, such as the case of Ho Thi Thu Huong (treasurer of the Bank for Investment and Development (BIDV) Phu Tai Branch, Binh Dinh province) who embezzled and misappropriated over 31 billion VND…
The above figures also show that the Procuratorates at all levels have actively and proactively coordinated with relevant agencies to take decisive measures to detect, prosecute, investigate, and handle all types of corruption and abuse of power crimes.
(According to the Communist Party of Vietnam) - KN
