Hanoi (VNA) 🐎– A press conference took place in Hanoi on March 4 to announce the State President’s amnesty decision on the occasion of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30).

The event was co-hosted by the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme People’s Court, and relevant agencies. Vice Chairman of the Presidential Office Pham Thanh Ha explained that amnesty is stipulated in Article 88 of the Constitution and codified through the 2018 Amnesty Law, which replaced the 2007 version. Since 2009, Vietnam has conducted ten amnesty rounds on major national occasions, granting clemency to nearly 100,000 prisoners who showed rehabilitation progress through work and study. Such has facilitated their reintegration into society, fulfilling political, legal, and diplomatic goals while garnering both domestic support and international recognition. The amnesty also reaffirms the Party and State’s consistent policy of promoting and protecting human rights fairly and equally for all citizens, including those serving prison sentences, he said. This year’s amnesty focuses on prisoners serving fixed-term sentences, those initially sentenced to life imprisonment but later reduced to fixed terms, and those with temporarily suspended sentences. However, the President's decision also specifies 16 categories ineligible for clemency, including those convicted of treason, espionage, violating territorial security, rioting, and terrorism. Those previously granted amnesty, having two or more prior convictions, facing ongoing criminal investigations for other offences, or having a prior conviction and committing another intentional crime will not qualify. For special cases, the Government, in coordination with the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy, and relevant agencies, will prepare detailed dossiers for submission to the President for consideration.

Speaking to the press, Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieut. Gen. Le Van Tuyen highlighted key updates to the amnesty criteria. Notably, fixed-term prisoners must now serve at least one-third of their sentence, down from one-half in 2024, while life-sentenced inmates with reduced terms must serve at least 14 years, down from 15 years in 2024. Special considerations will be extended to prisoners who have made outstanding contributions during their incarceration, paid revolutionary service during the war, suffer from serious illnesses or chronic health conditions, are aged 70 or older, face extreme family hardships, or serve as the sole breadwinner for their families, he added. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet affirmed that the amnesty process applies equally to both Vietnamese and foreign prisoners alike, ensuring no discrimination based on nationality./.