Vietnam’s move to end executions for drug trafficking sparks debate in region

Vietnam is proposing to end executions for drug trafficking by revising its Penal Code. This significant policy shift, presented to lawmakers last week, would remove drug trafficking from the list of capital offenses. Previously, in an earlier round of death penalty reforms last year, Vietnam had retained drug trafficking as a capital crime. If the proposed revision is approved, capital punishment would be reserved for four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism, and illegal narcotics production. This move represents a notable departure from Vietnam's historically stringent anti-drug policies in Southeast Asia.