VIETNAM. PRESIDENT COMMUTES AUSTRALIAN'S DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

Vietnam's President Tran Duc Luong commuted to life imprisonment a death sentence handed to Tran Van Thanh for drug trafficking.
Thanh, a 40-year-old Australian of Vietnamese origin, had been convicted in 2004 of trafficking heroin and had had his death sentence confirmed in March 2005.
"The president has decided to commute the death penalty to life imprisonment," an Australian embassy spokeswoman said. Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesman said the death penalty was "the right punishment for drug trafficking and transporting" but that the president commuted it on the grounds of "humanitarian tradition" and what he called "the fine tradition between Vietnam and Australia."