Proposal to double fines for manufacturing and trading counterfeit goods

On the morning of May 20, continuing the ninth session, the National Assembly listened to the presentation of the draft Penal Code (amended).

General - Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang presented the report. Photo: VPQH

Presenting the basic contents of the draft Penal Code (amended), Politburo member, General - Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang said that regarding the amended content related to the death penalty, it is expected to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without reduction of sentence (still ensuring the isolation of criminals from social life) for 8/18 crimes (44.44%) with the death penalty in the current Penal Code.

Meanwhile, it is expected to add life imprisonment without reduction of sentence for 10/18 crimes that still maintain the death penalty.

Crimes expected to be exempted from the death penalty include: Crime of activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government; crime of espionage; crime of sabotaging the material and technical facilities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; crime of producing and trading in counterfeit medicines and preventive medicines; crime of illegally transporting narcotics; crime of embezzlement; crime of accepting bribes; crime of undermining peace and waging aggressive wars.

The Minister of Public Security said that he will add cases where the death penalty will not be carried out for people with terminal cancer, people infected with HIV who have progressed to AIDS, and people with opportunistic infections.

In addition, the draft increases the level of imprisonment and fines for a number of crimes to ensure deterrence, improve the effectiveness of the fight against crime, promptly protect the legitimate rights and interests of the State and citizens, in accordance with international law provisions such as environmental crimes, production and trade of counterfeit goods, counterfeit goods being food, food additives, medicines, preventive medicines, and drugs.

Notably, the draft Code also doubles the fines for the crime of producing and trading in counterfeit goods; the crime of producing and trading in counterfeit food, foodstuffs, and food additives; the crime of producing and trading in counterfeit medicines and disease prevention medicines; the crime of producing and trading in counterfeit animal feed, fertilizers, veterinary medicines, pesticides, plant varieties, and animal breeds; and the crime of violating food safety regulations. The draft also adds the crime of illegal use of narcotics.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Law and Justice Hoang Thanh Tung presents the inspection report. Photo: VPQH

Presenting the review report, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Law and Justice Hoang Thanh Tung said that the Committee agreed with the idea of ​​adding life imprisonment without parole for 18 crimes as stipulated in the draft Law.

In addition, some opinions suggested reviewing all particularly serious crimes, including crimes with death penalty provisions before 2015, to prescribe additional life imprisonment without reduction of sentence, ensuring consistency in criminal policy.

The Committee on Law and Justice proposed not to add the crime of illegal drug use because it was previously stipulated in the 1999 Penal Code and was abolished in 2010 because drug users are considered by law as patients. Drug users in Vietnam are mainly handled by administrative sanctions, combined with support for drug addiction treatment; at the same time, not criminally handling illegal drug users is consistent with the humanitarian policy of the Party and State, and does not contradict international conventions to which Vietnam is a member.

Mr. Hoang Thanh Tung said that the Committee also basically agreed with the draft Law on increasing the fine as the main penalty and additional penalty to double for some specific crimes in the Chapter on environmental crimes, Chapter on crimes against public safety and public order to overcome shortcomings in the practical implementation of the Penal Code.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/de-xuat-tang-phat-tien-gap-2-lan-voi-toi-san-xuat-buon-ban-hang-gia-702851.html