VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam will not switch from firing squad to lethal injection for executions on November 1 as planned, due to lack of facilities and human resources. This is the second time it has been delayed.

Death sentences to be executed by poison

The new date would be December 30, Major General Ho Thanh Dinh, deputy chief of the Criminals Execution & Judicial Assistance Department, said.

The switch was delayed once last year since preparations were not complete.

Dinh said that the government has earmarked VND 16 billion (US$761,000) to set up five lethal injection chambers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Son La, Nghe An, and Dak Lak and train executioners.

Around 360 prisoners are currently in death row, mostly in HCMC, Hanoi, Nghe An, and Son La.

The Ministry of Defense is also planning to set up three more lethal injection chambers, Dinh added.

The police ministry first suggested an end to the firing squad in 2006, saying it had caused mental disorder in one member while many others had quit the service.

Le Thi Thu Ba, chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Justice Committee, said the new system had become popular around the world and was more humane since it caused less pain to prisoners and psychological pressure on executioners, and left the body intact.

In Vietnam, the death penalty can be given for 29 crimes, including murder, armed robbery, treason, drug trafficking, sexual abuse of children, and embezzling VND500 million (US$24,000) or more of public property.

But in practice, it is handed only for drug trafficking and murder.

Last year the National Assembly removed rape and several other offences from the list of crimes punishable by death.

Source: Tuoitre