Key Events * Việt Nam Abolishes Death Penalty for Corruption Amid Wave of High-Profile Trials * Chinese Survey Ship Operates Near Việt
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), a global collaborative project involving human rights practitioners and academics, has released its 2025
Anh Băng wrote this Vietnamese article, published in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 20, 2025. The Vietnamese government has just
On June 28, Việt Nam’s National Assembly passed a sweeping amendment to the Penal Code that abolishes the death penalty for eight offenses. The revision was adopted with 429 out of 439 lawmakers voting in favor—an approval rate of 89.75%—and will take effect on July 1, 2025.
Under the new law, capital punishment will no longer apply to crimes including embezzlement, bribery, illegal drug transportation, and counterfeit drug production. Existing death sentences that have not yet been carried out will automatically be commuted to life imprisonment.
This move could potentially spare the life of real estate tycoon Trương Mỹ Lan, who was sentenced to death for embezzlement in one of Vietnam’s largest-ever corruption cases tied to the Vạn Thịnh Phát Group.
A significant change in this legislative process is that the Ministry of Public Security, not the Ministry of Justice, led the drafting of the amendment. Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang defended the revision, stating it was designed to promote “humanity and leniency in the enforcement of law.”
However, the decision sparked pushback within the National Assembly. Several delegates voiced concern about removing the death penalty from four serious offenses: embezzlement, bribery, drug trafficking, and counterfeit drug production—crimes currently at the center of high-profile prosecutions in Vietnam.
Vietnam is intensifying efforts to root out corruption and combat counterfeiting. The amendment arrives amid an unprecedented wave of arrests and trials involving the production of fake goods and substandard medical products and large-scale financial fraud.
The reform marks a continued trend in Vietnam’s legal evolution toward reducing the scope of capital punishment. The number of crimes eligible for the death penalty has declined significantly—from 44 offenses in 1985 to 29 in 1999, 22 in 2009, 18 in 2015, and now just 10 in 2025.
While some view the change as a progressive step toward aligning with international human rights norms, others remain skeptical – questioning its timing and motives, especially as the country grapples with systemic corruption and eroding public trust in the justice system.
As the amended Penal Code comes into force, all eyes will be on how it is implemented in practice—and whether it signals a genuine shift in Vietnam’s approach to justice, accountability, and clemency.
RFA reported that a Chinese survey vessel, Bei Dao 996, has been operating near Vietnam’s coast within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) since mid‑June, surveying approximately 2,000 km²—including around 1,100 km² inside Vietnam’s EEZ—according to maritime analysts.
Monitored by SeaLight—an organization using commercial satellite-tracking tech to uncover maritime “gray zone” activities—the ship came within just 80 meters of Vietnam’s Kiem Ngu 471 fishery surveillance vessel. Such proximity officials warn may escalate tensions.
The region lies off Cam Ranh, home to Vietnam’s primary naval base and submarine fleet. Analysts say the mission, ostensibly scientific, may also serve intelligence gathering and strategic mapping purposes.
Under UNCLOS regulations, coastal states must be notified six months ahead of marine research, a protocol China appears to have bypassed.
Despite the survey’s scope, Việt Nam has not publicly commented, and state media has remained silent.
Experts argue that China frequently deploys similar vessels across Southeast Asian waters—such as the Xiang Yang Hong 10 project in Vietnam last year and other operations near Malaysia and the Philippines—often without formal notification.
Observers stress that transparency is essential for countering China’s gray-zone operations by bringing its actions to light. Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, says shining a light on these missions helps reveal China’s strategic intentions and bolsters regional security.
The incident highlights broader regional challenges: escalating maritime standoffs, assertions of sovereignty, and the need for stronger diplomatic and legal responses. As Beijing continues its assertive surveying campaign—without prior notice or formal permission—the risk grows for unintended confrontations near sensitive Vietnamese naval installations.
On June 24, Vietnam’s National Assembly passed Resolution 206, granting the government temporary authority to issue resolutions that adjust provisions of existing laws and parliamentary resolutions—even before formal amendments are made by the legislature.
This exceptional power, outlined in Article 4, Clause 2 of Resolution 206, applies to laws and resolutions originally proposed by the government. Any such government-issued resolution must be reported to the National Assembly or its Standing Committee at the nearest session or meeting. The resolution is effective immediately and will remain in force until February 28, 2027.
The move raises significant legal and constitutional questions. Under the newly effective 2025 Law on the Promulgation of Legal Normative Documents, Vietnam’s legal hierarchy ranks laws (Tier 2) well above government decrees (Tier 5). Moreover, Clause 2 of Article 5 of this law requires all legislation to comply with constitutional principles, legality, and internal consistency within the legal system.
Critics warn that allowing the executive branch to override or modify legal provisions—even temporarily—could undermine legislative authority and blur the separation of powers. Nonetheless, proponents argue the move is necessary to ensure legal continuity and administrative flexibility during a period of rapid policy reform.
The passage of Resolution 206 occurred amid a busy legislative schedule. On June 25, the National Assembly approved 14 laws, including amendments to the Law on Inspection; the Civil Procedure Code; the Law on Administrative Litigation; the Law on Juvenile Justice; the Bankruptcy Law; and the Law on Mediation and Dialogue at Court. It also passed revisions to the Penal Code, which notably abolished the death penalty for eight crimes.
On June 26, lawmakers passed the Personal Data Protection Law, consisting of 39 articles. A key provision prohibits the processing of personal data for activities deemed harmful to the state, including those that threaten national defense, security, social order, or infringe on the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.
Together, these developments underscore an ongoing legal overhaul in Vietnam—one that combines ambitious reform with heightened control over information, security, and civil liberties. The temporary empowerment of the government to unilaterally modify legal rules by resolution is a signal of both the urgency and centralization driving the current wave of legislative change.
Over the past week, Việt Nam intensified its anti-corruption crackdown with court proceedings involving some of the country’s most high-profile cases—spanning major corporations and public institutions.
On June 24, the Phúc Sơn Group trial opened in Hà Nội, drawing widespread public attention. The case involves 41 defendants, including five former provincial party secretaries. Key figure Nguyễn Văn Hậu, known as "Hậu Pháo," is accused of paying 132 billion đồng ($5 million) in bribes to 18 officials across Vĩnh Phúc, Phú Thọ, and Quảng Ngãi provinces. These payments allegedly secured illicit approval for 14 unlawful real estate projects, causing state losses of more than 1.16 trillion đồng.
Among the accused is Hoàng Thị Thúy Lan, former party secretary of Vĩnh Phúc. Her lawyer reported that she is suffering from severe health conditions—including sleep apnea, cardiovascular issues, and gastrointestinal disorders—after extended pre-trial detention. The trial remains ongoing.
Meanwhile, the appellate trial of Trịnh Văn Quyết, former chairman of the FLC Group, concluded on June 26. The court significantly reduced his sentence from 21 years to 7 years for fraudulent appropriation of assets, after he repaid 2.5 trillion đồng—22 billion đồng more than required. Quyết has already spent over three years in pre-trial detention since his March 2022 arrest.
Two of his sisters, Trịnh Thị Minh Huệ and Trịnh Thị Thúy Nga, also received reduced sentences.
Huệ was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison, along with a 3.5 billion đồng fine, for stock market manipulation and fraud—down from an initial 14-year sentence.
Nga’s sentence was reduced to time served—just over 38 months—with a 3 billion đồng fine, also for fraud.
On June 18, authorities launched a separate high-profile investigation into a network of drug-related and bribery crimes at the Central Institute of Forensic Psychiatry in Hà Nội and Thanh Hóa. The case involves charges of illegal drug possession, drug use facilitation, bribery, and abuse of power in psychiatric evaluations used to shield suspects from criminal accountability.
The investigation has led to the indictment of 40 individuals, including 36 officials and staff from the institute and two psychiatric patients under compulsory treatment.
These parallel prosecutions mark a dramatic escalation in Việt Nam’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, highlighting not only the depth of graft across public and private sectors but also the government’s effort to demonstrate accountability—even as questions remain about systemic reforms and judicial transparency.
Political prisoner and independent journalist Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn, serving an 11-year sentence for “propaganda against the state,” is reportedly suffering from serious health issues while incarcerated at Xuyên Mộc Prison in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province.
In a family call on April 19, he revealed persistent bloody diarrhea for three weeks, with worsening symptoms and declining physical and mental health. Medical staff diagnosed a colon issue and administered medication, but no improvement has been observed. A medical report was submitted to prison authorities, yet no response had been received by the family.
Tuấn has requested permission for external medical treatment, but prison officials have so far ignored his plea. His family says the situation has become critical. Human rights organizations have urged his immediate release for medical reasons. On June 20, Human Rights Watch called for his release and "adequate medical care", while the Committee to Protect Journalists echoed the demand, stating his suffering is "a national embarrassment" and must end immediately.
Tuấn was sentenced in January 2021 alongside two other members of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vietnam—Phạm Chí Dũng and Nguyễn Tường Thụy—for their work promoting independent media. Since 2019, at least six other political prisoners have died in Vietnamese prisons under questionable conditions, raising broader concerns over detention standards and medical neglect
The swift deterioration of Tuấn's health spotlights Vietnam’s poor treatment of political detainees and amplifies international scrutiny, particularly surrounding access to medical care, and has raised concerns about prison health protocols in Vietnam. Tuấn’s family and advocates continue to press the government for urgent intervention before the situation worsens.
On June 25, Vietnam’s National Assembly passed amendments to the Law on Handling Administrative Violations, doubling the maximum fine that can be issued without a written report. Under the new law, effective July 1, individuals can be fined up to 500,000 đồng (up from 250,000 đồng), while organizations face fines up to 1 million đồng (up from 500,000 đồng). The change aims to streamline enforcement for minor violations but has sparked debate over transparency and accountability in administrative procedures.
On June 23, Hanoi police announced the indictment of 40 individuals, including 36 leaders and staff from the Central Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, for crimes including abuse of power, taking bribes, and giving bribes. The investigation revealed that defendant Mai Anh and her husband bribed medical officials to obtain a private room and secure fraudulent psychiatric evaluations for multiple detainees. The case exposes a deepening corruption network within Vietnam’s forensic and judicial systems, raising alarm over the misuse of psychiatric assessments in criminal proceedings.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), a global collaborative project involving human rights practitioners and academics, has released its 2025
Anh Băng wrote this Vietnamese article, published in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 20, 2025. The Vietnamese government has just
Hạo Nam wrote this Vietnamese article, published in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 20, 2025. If we consider Gia Định
Once a vibrant voice in Việt Nam’s independent media, journalist Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn is now fighting for his
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