NA deputies at a meting (Source: http://www.tienphong.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The delay of the enforcement of the 2015 Penal Code just a few days before the effective date of July 1, 2016 due to lawmaking errors is said to be a brave decision showing the National Assembly’s responsibility towards the nation.
The 2015 Penal Code is among nearly 20 laws and codes set to take effect on July 1.
It was amended over about two years and comprises an array of new regulations that reflect the Party’s guidelines and viewpoints, such as reducing the number of crimes punishable by the death penalty, increasing educational measures for juvenile delinquents to replace criminal sanctions, ensuring the rights of the accused, protecting legitimate rights and interests of victims, and avoid criminalising economic and civil relations.
However, the NA Standing Committee received the opinions of many experts, organisations and press agencies about the inaccurate and insufficient showing of crime-related policies in the code.
On June 27, only three days ahead of the effective date, the Committee convened a special meeting with heads of the NA deputy delegations nationwide to consider postponing the execution of the Penal Code due to serious lawmaking mistakes.
Some parliamentarians and experts attributed the shortcomings to flawed lawmaking techniques, the short duration for the code scrutinisation and approval, and the large scope that the code covers.
As pursuant to relevant regulations, the NA has to open an unusual plenum to issue a resolution on the Penal Code enforcement delay. Instead, the NA Standing Committee sent ballots to each deputy to ask for their opinions. As a majority of the parliamentarians approved the delay until the shortcomings are fixed, a resolution on the matter was issued.
The Committee’s response in this case is assessed as a timely and the most feasible solution to prevent the Penal Code’s flaws from harming people and businesses’ interests, as there were only a few days left until the effective date.
The delay of the code enforcement also leads to the postponement of the implementation of relevant laws such as the Criminal Procedure Code, the Law on Organisation of Criminal Investigation Agencies, and the Law on Custody and Temporary Detention.
This is the second time the NA has revised a law before it takes effect. The first was Article 60 of the Law on Social Insurance.-VNA
