The Penal Code (amended), including 26 chapters and 426 articles, 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 new Criminal Code abolishes death penalty for seven crimes including plundering property, destroying important national security works and/or facilities; disobeying orders in the military; surrendering to the enemy, which is applicable in the army; undermining peace, provoking aggressive wars; crimes against mankind; and war crimes. 

What is more, Article 220 of the new law stipulates crimes on infringement of State regulations on public capital management and spending leading to serious consequences. Accordingly, violators who cause damage from VND 100 million to under VND 300 million or less than VND 100 million and relapse into crime will be given a three-year suspended sentence as maximum or put in prison from one to five years. Those who cause damage from VND 300 million to less than VND 1 billion will be sentenced from three to 12 years.

The new law also stipulates that death penalty will not be executed for the convicted involved in the following cases: pregnant women; females having children under the age of 36 months; over 75-year-old people; persons who were sentenced to death for embezzlement of assets or taking bribes but actively handed over at least three fourth of the embezzled asset. In those cases, the punishment will become life sentence.

During the 10th session of the 13th NA, lawmakers adopted 16 laws and 15 resolutions, including Civil Code (amended), Criminal Code (amended), Law on Referendum and Law on Maritime (amended)./.