'Review the list of special pardons carefully and thoroughly for each case'
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh noted that during the process of reviewing the amnesty list, the authorities focused on checking, reviewing, and evaluating publicly and transparently; carefully and cautiously considering each case, closely following the conditions and standards according to regulations.
On the afternoon of September 18, the 2024 Amnesty Advisory Council met to review a list of proposals for the President to grant amnesty to prisoners who meet the conditions for amnesty on the occasion of the 79th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital.
Speaking at the meeting, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh emphasized that humanity and leniency towards criminals are fine traditions of our nation.
Our country's laws demonstrate strictness towards criminals, resolutely punishing masterminds, ringleaders, stubborn opponents, and dangerous recidivists, but are always lenient and forgiving towards criminals who are sincere, atone for their crimes, repent, and create all favorable conditions for them to correct their mistakes and become honest people, useful to society.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested that competent authorities focus on inspecting, reviewing, and evaluating publicly and transparently; carefully and cautiously considering each specific case, closely following the conditions and standards prescribed by the Amnesty Law and the President's Decision.
Check and evaluate thousands of qualified applications
Major General Tran Van Thien, Director of the Police Department for Management of Detention Camps, Compulsory Education Facilities, and Reformatory Schools (Ministry of Public Security), said that in the past time, thousands of eligible files for special amnesty have been inspected and evaluated at detention camps, temporary detention camps, criminal enforcement agencies of district-level police under the Ministry of Public Security, and detention camps managed by the Ministry of National Defense.
It can be affirmed that the consideration of amnesty proposals for eligible people is conducted according to a very strict, public, democratic, objective, fair, transparent process, with correct subjects and conditions according to regulations.
Amnesty proposals are examined and assessed at many levels with the participation of many agencies, departments and functional branches, and especially the supervision of social organizations and people.
Major General Tran Van Thien said that in order for the 2024 amnesty work to achieve good results, all levels, sectors and localities need to pay attention to the work of reintegrating the community for amnestied people returning to their localities; focus on promoting propaganda, raising awareness and responsibility to join hands to help amnestied people eliminate their guilt.
He also noted to avoid discrimination against pardoned people, and to do a good job of monitoring, educating, helping, providing vocational training and creating jobs for pardoned people to return to the community to do honest work, limiting re-offending and violating the law.
For people in especially difficult circumstances, it is necessary to mobilize sectors, unions, and socio-economic organizations to help them borrow capital to do business, stabilize their lives, and integrate into the community.
After today's meeting, the Amnesty Advisory Council will compile and submit to the President a list of prisoners eligible for amnesty for consideration and decision.
From 2009 to now, the President has signed 9 amnesty decisions for more than 92,000 prisoners who have done well in reform, work, and study, returning to their families and communities to become useful citizens for society.
Most of the amnestied people who returned quickly reintegrated into the community, had stable lives and did honest work. Many of them became successful businessmen or actively participated in local social activities. The rate of amnestied people reoffending is very low.
Specifically, in the most recent amnesty in 2022, up to now, only 2 out of 2,438 people granted amnesty have re-offended, accounting for a rate of 0.08%.
The results of previous amnesty campaigns have been approved by the people at home and highly appreciated by international public opinion, which continues to affirm the consistent policies of the Party, State and law in promoting and protecting human rights in a fair and equal manner.
