Vietnam
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- communist state
- CONSTITUTION
- April 15, 1992
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on communist theory and the French system
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- People's Supreme Court, head elected for five years by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the President
RELIGIONS
9.3% Buddhists, 6.7% Catholics, other minorities, 80% none
From the country
JULY 12, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT UPHELD FOR MAN IN LAND DISPUTE KILLING
A court in Ho Chi Minh City upheld the death sentence handed down to a Vietnamese man for killing three people over a land dispute in the Central Highlands' province of Dak Nong in 2016.
JULY 9, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: MURDERER OF 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH
The HCM City People’s Court handed down the death sentence to Nguyễn Hữu Tình, 18, after he admitted to murdering five members of a family in Bình Tân District last February.
JUNE 13, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM - 2 SENTENCES
HEROIN AND METHAMPHETAMINE
JANUARY 3, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH, LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The People’s Court of Hanoi sentenced two people to death and six to life imprisonment for smuggling drugs between the northern mountainous province of Son La and Hanoi.
- JANUARY 1, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Capital punishment remains for crimes
Capital punishment remains for crimes such as murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse of children.
DECEMBER 12, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: THREE PEOPLE RECEIVE DEATH SENTENCES FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Hanoi People’s Court has sentenced three people to death for drug trafficking and transportation.
OCTOBER 25, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY FOR 5 FELONIES UNDER AMENDED PENAL CODE
The amended 2015 Penal Code of Vietnam, which will take effect at the start of 2018, will no longer impose the death penalty on those found guilty of five felonies.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTYEX-CHIEF OF PETROVIETNAM SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR EMBEZZLEMENT
A court in Vietnam has sentenced the former head of state-owned oil-and-gas giant PetroVietnam to death after finding him guilty of embezzlement and abuse of power in a high-profile corruption case.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: HEROIN TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A court passed a death sentence on a 30-year-old man from Vietnam's Hanoi capital for trafficking over 230.5 kg of heroin and illegally possessing military weapons.
- JULY 13, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: NEW LAW TO ENABLE CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO ESCAPE DEATH PENALTY BY PAYING BACK STOLEN MONEY
Amendments to Vietnam’s Penal Code, which takes effect in January 2018, give those found guilty of corruption and bribery the chance to escape the death sentence if they return 75 percent of their ill-gotten gains.
- JUNE 16, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: EIGHT VIETNAMESE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEROIN TRAFFICKING
Eight Vietnamese, including two women, received death sentence after a court in the northern province of Hoa Binh found them guilty of trafficking 541 packs of heroin, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reported, citing the court verdict.
- MAY 30, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEROIN SMUGGLING
A Vietnamese drug lord who continued to run his smuggling network from prison was sentenced to die alongside four of his lieutenants, an official said.