As many as 5,459 prisoners will be granted amnesty on Vietnam ’s National Day, which falls on September 2, officials have said.

The figure was released during a press conference in Hanoi on August 31 to announce the State President’s decision to grant this year’s second round of amnesties.

Vice Chairman of the Office of the President Giang Son, Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Le The Tiem and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh co-chaired the press conference.

Son said that the granting of the reprieves to inmates is stipulated in Article 103 of the Constitution and included in the 2007 Amnesty Law.

The State President’s decision to grant amnesty to 5,459 prisoners once again reflects the Party and State’s tolerance as well as the Vietnamese nation’s humanitarian tradition of forgiving criminals and encouraging them to show regret and redeem themselves, he said.

The selection of prisoners for this year’s amnesty has been conducted in a transparent, open, democratic and equal manner without discriminating against any prisoners, regardless of their origin.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Tiem revealed that, out of the total of 5,459 prisoners, 19 are foreigners, 794 are female offenders and 13 had previously been convicted of infringing Vietnam ’s national security.

The official noted that close to 100,000 prisoners have so far been released prior to serving their full terms under the State Presidential amnesty.

Most of them have re-integrated well back into the community and are living honesty lives, with just 4 percent of the released prisoners re-offending, added Tiem.

The eligible prisoners will be freed from jails nationwide on August 31 and Sept. 1./.