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. The Code classifies crimes into four categories: less serious, serious, very serious and extremely serious to mete out suitable punishments to offenders. It reduces the number of crimes subject to the death penalty to 31 from the previous 44, but retains capital punishment on major economic crimes such as misappropriation of property, smuggling and bribery. However, the death sentence for pregnant women or those with children of less than 36 months has been removed. Meanwhile, deputies were divided over the death sentence for illegal infiltration into Vietnam's territory. Under the draft, those found guilty of illegally entering Vietnam will be subject to prison sentences of between 12 years and life, and their accomplices to between 5 and 15 years. According to the Justice Minister, no one has yet received the death sentence for this offense, and there are other ways to defend territorial sovereignty. But the National Assembly discussed the draft amended Penal Code and decided not to remove the death sentence as the highest punishment for offenses against the country's territory. The vote of 37.2% for abolishing the sentence and 41.9% against, both fell well short of the required majority, which meant further debate.