Vietnam offers amnesty to 20 foreign prisoners, including Chinese and US citizens

HANOI: Vietnam will release nearly 3,800 prisoners, including foreigners, as part of the country’s latest amnesty, the government said on Monday (September 30).

Vietnam has announced nine special amnesties since 2009 and released more than 92,000 prisoners ahead of their expected release date, but has always excluded political activists.

Those convicted of “attempting to overthrow” the communist government or “terrorism” are not eligible for release, according to the official amnesty announcement on Monday.

This year, 3,765 prisoners will be released, including about 20 foreigners from Cambodia, China, Iceland, India, Laos, South Africa and the United States.

They are expected to be released on Tuesday, a delayed move after Vietnam’s National Day on September 2.

The amnesty comes after the early release of two prominent prisoners in mid-September, when the country’s supreme leader To Lam traveled to the United States.

Environmental activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong served a three-year prison sentence for tax evasion offenses related to her environmental campaign group CHANGE.

Political dissident Tran Huynh Duy Thuc was an internet entrepreneur who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2010 for allegedly trying to overthrow the regime.

Officials declined Monday to reveal the total number of prisoners currently in custody.

In August, authorities said around 643 foreigners were serving prison sentences in Vietnam.

According to Human Rights Watch, more than 160 political prisoners are behind bars.