Preparations for amnesty completed
Prisoners who are granted amnesty this year should improve themselves, abide by the law and become good and useful citizens.
2010 is the second year the Law on Amnesty, which was approved by the National Assembly in 2008, has been put into practice.
More than 17,000 inmates will receive amnesty this year. Among prisoners are those who have been on good behavious and offenders with prison terms being cancelled or temporarily suspended.
In order to make the event more significant, relevant agencies have established a set of criteria for the amnesty. They have also held classes to teach basic knowledge about laws and life-skills to those who are eligible for amnesty to help them re-integrate into the community.
On the occasion, Lt. General Cao Ngoc Oanh granted a VOV reporter an interview about this year’s amnesty.
VOV: Would you tell me about the police and local authorities’ preparations for the amnesty which is coming up in a few days?
Mr. Oanh: All preparations have been completed. Receptions for amnesty recipients will be held at the communal level.
There will be training classes at detention camps, during which prisoners will be provided basic knowledge about laws and issues concerning identification and registration procedures. Once the preparations are complete, prisoners will be brought to provincial police departments which are responsible for helping them re-integrate into the community.
The Central Amnesty Council will hold a press conference to announce the amnesty on August 28 and prisoners will be released on August 30 and 31.
VOV: How has the processing of amnesty cases been conducted to ensure it has been carried out in an objective, public, transparent and democratic manner to avoid mistakes and negative consequences?
Mr Oanh: Researching and checking amnesty cases is done by the criminal investigation team. Prisoners write an application for amnesty and send it to the team which holds a meeting to select those that are eligible. The superintendent will consider the list and sent it to the camps’ amnesty councils.
After reaching agreement, the amnesty councils will send the list to the Consultancy Council of the Ministry of Public Security which will then submit the eligible candidates to the Central Amnesty Consultancy Council. After careful consideration the council will submit the official list of final candidates to the Government and State President.
Thus, the process is implemented strictly in line with the law and through many responsible high levels.
VOV: After their release, some amnesty recipients have re-violated the law. What measures have localities devised to ensure the Party and State’s clemency policy is effective?
Mr Oanh: Localities must manage released prisoners and resolve all procedures related to their residency rights. They must help them get jobs to stabilise their lives and re-integrate into society, and they must continue to manage and educate them to prevent from committing further crimes.
VOV: As a camp manager, how do you advise released inmates?
Mr Oanh: They should realize the Party and State’s policy of clemency for those offenders who have shown repentance encourages them to redeem themselves and become useful citizens. They should do their best and strive to become productive members of the society.
Their families and localities should continue to care for, manage and educate them to help them quickly re-integrate into society.
VOV: Thank you very much.