National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung chaired the NA’s plenary sitting on June 16, during which deputies debated draft amendments to the Penal Code.

Attention was paid to the scale of revision of the Penal Code, regulations on criminals and punishments in specialized laws, and the limitation of the capital punishment.

A majority of NA deputies supported the scaling back of the death penalty in all three aspects: the number of crimes subject to the capital punishment, tightening conditions for the application of the death penalty, and expanding the categories of convicted persons exempt from penalty execution.

However, many deputies argued that the three crimes of peace destruction, crime against humankind and war crimes should not be waived from the death penalty.

The scope of criminal responsibility for juveniles and measures to be used in replacement of criminal treatment for juvenile lawbreakers were also addressed during the session.

The deputies also voiced their opinions on the removing of certain economic wrongdoings from crimes dealt with by the Penal Code and the addition of new crimes relating to the environment, drug and public order and safety.

The draft revised Code of Criminal Procedure will be scrunitised at the NA’s June 17 sitting.-VNA