National Assembly adopts draft revised Penal Code

Hanoi (VNA) – Lawmakers approved the draft revised Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code (amended) during their working session in Hanoi on November 27 - the last day of the tenth session of the 13th National Assembly.

The draft revised Penal Code, which sailed through the National Assembly with 84.01 percent of the vote, will come into force on July 1, 2016.

The revised Penal Code aims to protect national sovereignty and security, socialism, human right, citizens’ right, the right to equality among ethnic minority groups, interests of the State and organisations, and legal order.

New contents such as the criminal liability of legal entities and the scope of legal entities’ criminal liability make up the amended code.

The National Assembly Standing Committee held that the supplements are essential to meet the requirements of crime prevention and combat in the new situation, especially violations of economy and environment-related laws.

The majority of people and NA deputies showed their approval for the supplements, the committee said.

The code prescribes that death penalty is not imposed on under-18 offenders, pregnant women and women who are nursing children under 36 months or those who are more than 75 years old when they commit a crime or are put into trial.

Death penalty will be removed for those who are charged with embezzlement and corruption but proactively hand back three quarters of the embezzled assets, the code says.

At the session, 87.04 percent of the deputies voted for the draft resolution on the execution of the revised Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Procedure Code (amended) was adopted by the National Assembly with 85.63 of the vote.

Comprising of eight parts, 37 chapters and 510 articles, the code’s objective is to ensure the prompt and fair treatment of crimes.

It prescribes criminal proceedings, tasks and rights of competent agencies and individuals, rights and obligations of those getting involved in the process, and international cooperation in criminal procedure.

The code requires sound and image recordings when interrogations take place to ensure transparency and protect citizens’ rights in line with the Constitution.

The legal document will take effect on July 1, 2016 to replace the Criminal Procedure Code issued in 2003.

The resolution on the execution of the Criminal Procedure Code won the approval of the majority of the NA deputies.-VNA