Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA)

The amnesty inspired Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh to write an article reaffirming that it is the unswerving policy of the Vietnamese Party and State to protect and promote human rights. Every citizen, even those serving prison sentences, must be treated fairly, as stipulated by Vietnam’s Constitution and laws. Vietnamese law guarantees the rights of all people, regardless of their nationality, in criminal proceedings. Minh pointed to these rights as a refutation of the deliberate lies propagated by some individuals and organizations to disparage the human rights situation in Vietnam. Offering this amnesty to foreigners in a fair and transparent way sends a message to the international community about Vietnam’s true policies.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Minh, Head of the Advisory Council on Amnesty 2021, this year’s amnesty is complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which will necessitate careful preparations for the released prisoners and the localities receiving them to ensure compliance with current pandemic prevention and control measures. This year’s amnesty is the first under the revised 2018 Amnesty Law, which has more stringent conditions to ensure that qualified prisoners, whether Vietnamese or foreign, are not overlooked. It balances justice for those who have committed a crime and compassion for those who have been rehabilitated and want to return to society as a useful citizen.