Once the State President signed the amnesty decision, the Khanh Hoa provincial detention facility prepared selection criteria and an approval process to ensure that amnesty is carried out there in accordance with the law.

Amnesty rules have been disseminated to prisoners so they can find out for themselves if they’re eligible and can submit an application.

Social and career counseling has been provided to help prisoners reintegrate into the community.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Hung Manh, a warder at the Khanh Hoa detention facility, said that explanations on amnesty policies and regulations will help prisoners receiving amnesty not to reoffend when they return to their homes and reintegrate into the community.

“Education programs will help them find a job, obtain a loan, or get career counseling, and encourage them to comply with laws and regulations,” Manh noted.

Three prisoners at the Khanh Hoa detention facility will be pardoned this year, including Vo Thi Phuong Uyen of Nha Trang city.

Uyen told VOV that she was very happy and excited to be on this year’s amnesty list. “We are well aware of our crimes and now have a chance to try to atone for the mistakes we made.”

More than 100 of the 4,000 prisoners at Vinh Quang prison are eligible for amnesty this year. One of them is Nguyen Van Luong, who has served nearly 5 years of an 8-year sentence.

“I’m very remorseful. I want to be freed soon to return to my family and become a useful citizen,” said Luong.

Major General Tran Van Thien, Director of the Department for Management of Prisons, Compulsory Education Facilities, and Reformatory Schools, said,“We’ve compiled a list of people eligible for amnesty consideration in accordance with set regulations that ensure fairness, openness, and transparency.”

Since 2009, Vietnam has granted amnesty to more than 92,000 prisoners. Most of the amnesty recipients have stabilized their life. The rate of reoffending is very low – just 0.08%.