LookAtVietnam – Many National Assembly deputies agreed yesterday to proposed changes to the Criminal Code identified as obstacles to the fight against crime and global integration.

Most deputies disagreed with the recommendation which is part of the effort to reduce the number of crimes that carry the death penalty. (Photo: VNN)

All accord with the Viet Nam Communist Party’s policy of legislative reform and the reduction of capital offences.

But they balked at the abolition of the death sentence for rapists and people who transport and store illicit drugs.

Many agreed that it was necessary to execute rapists because the crime was becoming more prevalent and this worried people.

Victims suffer for a lifetime and their family or clan were affected, they argued.

“Rape is particularly odious because it seriously damages the victim’s dignity and health, particularly that of a juvenile,” said Huynh Nghia, deputy from Da Nang City.

But other deputies argued the substitution of life imprisonment for the death penalty was sufficient to deter the crime.

A report from the National Assembly’s Legislative Committee Chairwoman, Le Thi Thu Ba, suggests the crime of transporting and storing illicit drugs be differentiated from trading and selling illicit drugs.

But most deputies disagreed with the recommendation which is part of the effort to reduce the number of crimes that carry the death penalty.

There were many examples of people transporting large amounts of illicit drugs, those who opposed the proposed change said.

The crime was as serious as trading and selling illicit drugs said Huynh Nghia.

Deputy Tran Ba Thieu, from Hai Phong, agreed.

“I surveyed two rehabilitation centres in Hai Phong and most people I asked said the crime would increase if the death sentence is abolished,” the deputy said.

Deputy Phuong Thi Thanh, Bac Kan Province, said the transporting and storing of illicit drugs were links of a chain and should not be separated or judged as lesser offences.

The death sentence could be abolished when the prevalence of the crime was reduced, she said.

Deputy Nguyen Trung, HCM City, argued the crime was a threat to the country and so should be severely punished.

Deputy Vo Minh Phuong, Lam Dong Province, and Ha Cong Long, Gia Lai Province, said execution was too heavy a penalty for those who transported or stored illicit drugs.

Reality showed that most were poor labourers.

Most of the people sentenced to death for transporting heroin were addicts, the poor and those who lacked knowledge of the law, the deputy said.

Deputy Tran Thi Hang, Nam Dinh Province, said the proposed differentiated would make the effort to curb the crime more effective.

Human trafficking

Many deputies consented to have women and children trafficking redefined as human trafficking.

They also suggested that the purposes and ruses of human traffickers be clearly understood to ensure the articles of the Criminal Code dealing with the crime defined all possible transgressions.

The deputies also discussed stock-market crime; tax dodging and cheating and environmental pollution.

Many suggested the article titled “The Crime of Damaging National Security” be renamed “The Crime of Terrorism against the People’s Power.”

Some asked that the Criminal Code continue to define drug abuse as a crime because it was increasing and was the root of other and murder.

Intellectual property

Deputy Tran Thi Kim Khanh, Ha Noi, questioned the way payments for the use of cultural products would be set in proposed changes to the Intellectual Property Law.

What would happen if there was no agreement about the royalties to be paid, she asked and suggested a levy be set for both owner and user to follow.

The Information and Communications Ministry should grant patents for information technology products, she said.

Deputy Nguyen Dinh Quyen said the proposed fine of VND500 million (US$27.7million) for intellectual property rights violation was too light.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News