VietNamNet Bridge - At the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on crime prevention this morning, January 23, Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang said Vietnam would produce poison to serve the policy on conducting the death penalty by lethal injection.

Death penalty not yet authorized by lethal injection because of lacking medication
Lethal injection to pilot in 5 localities next year

Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang.

The Minister of Public Security said the relevant bodies had submitted to the Government a draft amendment to the decree on the implementation of the death penalty by lethal injection, towards the use of domestically made drugs.

The draft is now being verified by the Ministry of Justice. Currently, 532 prisoners are waiting for the death penalty execution but they will have to wait for the approval of the new decree.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, preparation for the application of lethal injection has completed, with the construction and installation of equipment in five detention centers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Son La, Nghe An and Dak Lak. The training on the implementation of lethal injection has also completed. Lethal injection will be applied immediately when the poison is available.

The story about more than 500 death row inmates awaiting drugs heated up the 4th session of the National Assembly last year.
At that time, Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong also admitted that the preparation to apply lethal injection was done, from building facilities to equipment, training, just missing the poison.

Cuong said that the reason is the Government’s decree specifies the name of the drugs, which must be imported. However, the foreign partners refused to sell the drugs for Vietnam when they knew the purpose of the import.

National Assembly deputies suggested the Government to produce the drugs in Vietnam or even resume the form of firing as to solve criminals awaiting execution and reduce the burden on prisons.

Le Nhung