VietNamNet Bridge – This morning, August 6, the first execution by lethal injection was officially implemented in Hanoi. The first death row inmate who was executed by lethal injection is Nguyen Anh Tuan, 27, a native of Me Linh district, Hanoi.

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The prisoner was taken to the execution site in the early morning. He was given three doses of poison including Sodium thiopental (anesthesia,) Pancuronium bromide (the drug to paralyze the nervous and muscle system) and Potassium chloride (the drug used to stop the heart's activity).

At 10 am, the authorities completed the execution. The body of prisoner Anh Tuan was then transferred to his family for burial.

In February 2009, Nguyen Anh Tuan and his gang asked Ms. Bui Thi Nguyet, an employee of a filling station in Me Linh District, Hanoi to go out in order to rob her assets.

After killing Nguyet, they threw the body into a ditch and fled. On June 21, 2009, Tuan was arrested. On January 20, 2010, Tuan was sentenced to death by the Hanoi People's Court for "murder" and "robbery".

A senior police official told Thanh Nien Newspaper that after a long time of preparation, Hanoi has become the first locality that implemented execution by lethal injection.

"After being implemented in Hanoi, lethal injection will be carried out in other places to deal with the state that many death row inmates are awaiting lethal injection," the official said.

According to the Law on criminal law enforcement which took effect from July 1, 2011, Vietnam is no longer conducting execution by firing squad but lethal injection.

To prepare for lethal injection, the Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with a number of agencies built five facilities, including one in Hanoi. However, due to difficulties in the preparation of poisons, the enforcement forces and facilities, the implementation of lethal injection was delayed.

After that, the Government issued the revised decree on the implementation of the death penalty by lethal injection. Accordingly, the drugs used for executions include three types: Sodium thiopental (anesthesia,) Pancuronium bromide (the drug to paralyze the nervous and muscle system) and Potassium chloride (the drug used to stop the heart's activity).

At present, there are more than 586 death row inmates in Vietnam.

Le Ha