Legislative drafting workshop for the amendment of the penal code, to ensure compliance with international standards

The workshop has the participation of Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, Head of Criminal and Administrative Laws Department, Ministry of Justice and representatives from UNODC in Vietnam, AGD, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other relevant agencies.

The participants of workshop will together discuss to find out the direct modification of the specific articles in the Penal code targeted in the groups related to money laundering crime, recovering the proceeds of crime, corruption; human trafficking, people smuggling and criminal liability of corporations.

Mr Christopher Batt, representative from UNODC in Vietnam said: "In an ever evolving world it was important that countries regularly reviewed their domestic laws to ensure that they were adequate to not only protect the victims of crime but that they also met international standards. The current review by Viet Nam of its Penal Code was both essential and timely, given recent changes to International standards and the enactment of new laws in Viet Nam including the Money Laundering Law. Both the United Nations and the Australian Attorney General's Office were pleased to be able to have the opportunity to work with Vietnamese Officials on this important task."

In order to ensure the compliance of Vietnam's legal documents with United Nations Conventions and International Money Laundering Standards, it is an opportunity for international and national specialist to share their experiences, updated modules operandi, new emerging crimes as well as application of the international legal framework to the revision in penal code. The experts will also clarify the gaps and provide the detailed law amendment in the context of Vietnam's legal reform complying with international standards.

On the first day, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) related to Vietnam criminal justice system will be updated and introduced to the workshop. Up to now, a number of UPR recommendations about criminal justice have been accepted by the Vietnamese government. The recommendations include "The Prompt Ratification and Implementation of the Convention Against Torture", "Amendments to the relevant penal code articles to International Human Rights Obligations on Freedom of Expression", and "Ensure that the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code and their implementation are consistent with Vietnam's International Human Rights Obligations", including six recommendations to reduce the use of the death penalty, nine recommendations to ratify the Convention Against Torture and 12 recommendations to improve the criminal justice system to ensure that the efficient procedures and responsive mechanisms for effective and equal access to lawyers are provided for at all stages of legal proceedings.

The legislative drafting workshop is one activity in the UNODC Country programme relating to Criminal Justice, which aims to assist the Vietnam government in its national criminal legal reform. It also serves to mark Vietnam's efforts in implementing United Nations Conventions and in gaining international experiences in the law revision process before sending to National Assembly for their inputs in the meeting in May, 2015. The event will take place over three days from April 20th to April 22th, 2015.

For more information, please contact

1. Ms Nguyen Nguyet Minh, Program Specialist, United Nations on Drugs and Crime, Email: minh.nguyen@unodc.org, Tel: 0943 972 725
2. Ms Le Thi Ngoc, Communications Officer, United Nations on Drugs and Crime, Email: ngoc.le@unodc.org, Tel: 0963 261 288

About United Nations on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime.

UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism. In the Millennium Declaration, Member States also resolved to intensify efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions, to redouble the efforts to implement the commitment to counter the world drug problem and to take concerted action against international terrorism.

The Office is also the guardian of a considerable body of internationally recognized principles in crime prevention and criminal justice, encompassing such issues as juvenile justice, the treatment of offenders, international cooperation, good governance, victim protection and violence against women, e.g. United Nations Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and United Nations Conventions against Corruption. UNODC also helps countries to reform their criminal justice systems.

UNODC has been active in Viet Nam since 1992 when the liaison office in Hanoi was established to support the Government in its efforts to control and prevent drug related crime.

UNODC in Viet Nam assists Viet Nam to address these challenges by providing policy advice and technical assistance in five areas:

• Transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking
• Corruption and money laundering
• Terrorism prevention
• Criminal justice
• Drug demand reduction and HIV/AIDS

For more information, please visit our local website: http://www.unodc.org/southeastasiaandpacific/en/vietnam/index.html

 and our global website http://www.unodc.org