Vietnam
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Since 1997, possession or smuggling at least 100g or...
- News items in the archive
- 784
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Vietnam is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 784 news items on Vietnam, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- MARCH 13, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
The People's Court in Lai Chau gave a death sentence...
The People's Court in Lai Chau gave a death sentence to Luong Van Pan, a Laotian, for drug trafficking in November 1998
- FEBRUARY 18, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Van Trong said around...
Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Van Trong said around 10,000 to 14,000 prisoners were to be freed in amnesties in 2000
- JANUARY 31, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
The National Assembly Standing Committee discussed...
The National Assembly Standing Committee discussed and adopted a resolution on the enforcement of the revised Criminal Code
- JANUARY 28, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Ho Chi Minh City's People's Court sentenced to death...
Ho Chi Minh City's People's Court sentenced to death three narcotics traffickers, Tran Van Nghia, Nguyen Phuoc Duc and Nguyen Thanh Hai
- JANUARY 20, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Pham Van Hung, a senior official from Vietnam's National...
Pham Van Hung, a senior official from Vietnam's National Assembly, told a news conference that Vietnam's amended Penal Code cut by a third the number of crimes that carry the death penalty
- JANUARY 12, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Four businessmen had their death sentences upheld by...
Four businessmen had their death sentences upheld by the Ho Chi Minh City Supreme People's Court
- JANUARY 1, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Vietnamese courts handed down 208 death sentences and...
Vietnamese courts handed down 208 death sentences and 323 life sentences in 2000
- JANUARY 1, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
In all, 194 people were sentenced to death last year
In all, 194 people were sentenced to death last year
- JANUARY 1, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
At least 76 prisoners were executed in 1999 for drug...
At least 76 prisoners were executed in 1999 for drug trafficking in the Southeast Asian nation
- JANUARY 1, 2000VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Vietnam's communist authorities impose the death penalty...
Vietnam's communist authorities impose the death penalty for a total of 29 different offences, including a string of economic crimes as well as murder, treason, drug trafficking, sexual offences against children and serious cases of armed robbery
- DECEMBER 4, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On December 4, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed...
On December 4, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Van Khai not to execute the 3 Cambodians sentenced to death on charges of drug trafficking
- DECEMBER 1, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
In December, Vietnam's National Assembly approved further...
In December, Vietnam's National Assembly approved further amendments to the country's penal code that were expected to cut by a third the number of crimes punishable by death
- NOVEMBER 27, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On November 27, a Vietnamese court sentenced to death...
On November 27, a Vietnamese court sentenced to death Tran Thi Mai Huong, 39, and Dan Kien Theit, 42, two Ministry of Trade employees who were convicted of stealing some 1
- NOVEMBER 12, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On November 12, the Court of Appeal of Ho Chi Minh...
On November 12, the Court of Appeal of Ho Chi Minh City decided to uphold the death sentence on Tran Dam, head of a smuggling ring, and Phung Long That, former head of the Anti-smuggling Bureau (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department), and life-imprisonment
- NOVEMBER 4, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On November 4, Ho Chi Minh City People's Court handed...
On November 4, Ho Chi Minh City People's Court handed down the death penalty to 3 Cambodian nationals - Chuan Oi, Seng Bun Si and Tran The Trung - and two Vietnamese nationals - Quach Kim Thuan and Nguyen Hong Minh Thanh
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
In November, the People's Court in the central province...
In November, the People's Court in the central province of Nghe An gave death sentences to 3 drug traffickers, including Xong Ra Long, Xong Gia Cua and Lu Nhia Vu
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
As of early November, around 42 people had been given...
As of early November, around 42 people had been given the death penalty for drug trafficking since the beginning of the year, according to statistics reported by the local press
- SEPTEMBER 28, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On September 28, the Hanoi Verdict Execution Council...
On September 28, the Hanoi Verdict Execution Council put to death a condemned prisoner, Le Van Minh, at the Cau Nga execution site in Tu, Liem District
- SEPTEMBER 24, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai...
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai businessman convicted of cheating a state firm of about US$176,000 in assets by the Vietnamese Appeal Court on July 2, had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment following intervention by the T
- AUGUST 26, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On August 26, the Hanoi City People's Court sentenced...
On August 26, the Hanoi City People's Court sentenced to death Nguyen Van Chau, 39, who had killed 4 people in a gold-shop robbery five weeks previously
- AUGUST 4, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On August 4, after a trial lasting almost 3 months,...
On August 4, after a trial lasting almost 3 months, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court handed down 6 death sentences and 6 of life imprisonment in the final hearing of the Minh Phung/Epco case in which 77 officials were charged with corruption
- JULY 22, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Viet Nam signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Viet Nam signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JUNE 26, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Also on June 26, Pham Hong Phong, another drug trafficker...
Also on June 26, Pham Hong Phong, another drug trafficker received the death sentence
- JUNE 26, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On June 26, the People's Supreme Court sentenced Ha...
On June 26, the People's Supreme Court sentenced Ha Van Thuy, a former customs officer in the Lai Chau Province Customs Department, to death
- JUNE 5, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On June 5, the amended Penal Code, with 24 chapters...
On June 5, the amended Penal Code, with 24 chapters and 340 articles, was approved by the National Assembly after heated debates on several issues, especially death sentences and the new crimes springing from the market economy
- MAY 1, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
In May, Justice Minister Nguyen Dinh Loc presented...
In May, Justice Minister Nguyen Dinh Loc presented to the National Assembly (NA) the draft of the amended Penal Code containing new offenses arising from the market economy
- APRIL 27, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On April 27, Nguyen Dinh Quyen, Deputy Director of...
On April 27, Nguyen Dinh Quyen, Deputy Director of the National Assembly's law department said the revisions to the Penal Code would also attempt narrower definitions of crimes and the substitution of certain prison terms with financial penalties
- APRIL 12, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On April 12, the Hanoi People's Court gave a death...
On April 12, the Hanoi People's Court gave a death sentence to Vu Thi Duyen, 20, after concluding that she had killed Huong, her 4-year-old stepdaughter
- JANUARY 25, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On January 25, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said he...
On January 25, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said he wanted fewer death penalties handed down, and dislikes the use of firing squads
- JANUARY 1, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Since 1997, possession or smuggling at least 100g or...
Since 1997, possession or smuggling at least 100g or more of heroin, or 5kg or more of opium, has been punishable by death