Vietnam Commutes Aussie's Death Sentence
VUNG TAU, Vietnam (AP) -- Vietnam announced Thursday it has commuted the death sentence of a convicted Australian drug trafficker to life imprisonment after heavy lobbying by the Australian government.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said in a statement that President Tran Duc Luong has signed an order of clemency for Nguyen Van Chinh, 45 of Sydney.
"According to competent authorities, stemming from its humanitarian policy, Vietnam's president has signed a decision to commute the death penalty to life imprisonment for Nguyen Van Chinh," he said.
The Australian embassy was formally notified via diplomatic note from the Foreign Ministry on Feb. 28, he said.
Chinh was convicted and sentenced to death last year for heroin trafficking after a raid on his hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City uncovered 1.05 kilograms (2 pounds) of the drug.
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said last month that he was told Vietnam was commuting the death sentences for Chinh and a second convicted Australian drug smuggler, Mai Cong Thanh.
Vietnam announced the clemency for Thanh, 46, of Melbourne, a week ago.
Thanh was also sentenced to face the firing squad last year after police had found 1.7 kilograms (3.7 pounds) of heroin hidden in 76 stereo speakers during a raid of his rented workshop. The speakers were among 306 waiting to be shipped to Australia from Vietnam.
Vietnam has some of the harshest drug laws in the world. Possessing, trading or trafficking 600 grams (1.32 pounds) of heroin or 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of opium is punishable by death.
However, at least two other Australian-Vietnamese have had their death sentences commuted in recent years because of lobbying by their government, which banned the death penalty in 1973.
they will have to feed him for the rest of his life.
The last I heard the Vietnam prison condition is worst than a third world zoo.
Don't know... living like that for the rest of his is also a kind of perpetual torture. Don't know what is more humane than putting two bullets to his head and finish with it.