Vietnam is drafting a revised penal code that would reduce the number of crimes punishable by death, moving to end capital punishment for several categories of offences. Multiple outlets report that the draft would retain the death penalty for four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism, and the illegal production of narcotics.
The proposal would remove capital punishment for additional offences cited by outlets, including rape of minors, drug trafficking, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The reporting also indicates the draft code sets out a narrower scope for execution compared with existing rules.
Outlets present the same overall direction but differ in emphasis on which offences would be removed and how they are grouped. One outlet lists the reduced set of four retained crimes, while another highlights the categories expected to be decriminalized from the death penalty, including serious international and sexual offences. The coverage reflects a focus on the scope of the change rather than on any final decision or implementation timeline.
