Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong, Chairman of the Central Advisory Committee on Amnesty, met 250 former prisoners who had received amnesties, in the northern province of Bac Giang on July 11.

Trong praised the Ministry of Public Security for its idea of hosting the first ever meeting of its kind, as it could help the ministry learn about the situations, needs and desires of the former prisoners after they are returned to the community. He suggested that similar meetings should be held in other localities.

According to the provincial Public Security, 2,004 locals received amnesty during 2000-09. Local authorities and police helped manage their needs after their release to help them return to ordinary life. Most of them have shown positive attitudes, and obey local regulations and State laws. However, providing them with the necessary support and creating jobs for them is still difficult. Many of these people are still unemployed due to a lack of marketable skills.

In the afternoon, Trong visited the provincial Ngoc Ly Prison, which incarcerates about 3,000 prisoners, to learn how the 2010 amnesty decision was implemented. This year, the prison considered the files of 485 prisoners for submission to the committee for amnesty.

Trong said all of the preparation activities carried out at the prison were good and legal, adding that these lessons, in addition to vocational training, were an important step in reducing the chance that an offender would commit a repeated offence.

Trong said Vietnam 's amnesty is a manifestation of the Party and State's leniency to prisoners. To date, Vietnam has given the amnesty to 150,000 people./.