Hanoi, May 27 -- Legislators engaged in the 9th session's deliberations on May 27 morning over the proposed amendments to the Penal Code that would eliminate the death penalty for illegal drug transport, replacing it with a life imprisonment without sentence reductions. Nguyen Thi Thu Nguyet, a deputy from the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, acknowledged that abolishing the capital punishment aligns with global trends and directives from the Politburo and the Party Central Committee. However, she urged drafting agencies to conduct comprehensive and meticulous research when proposing the removal of the punishment, particularly for drug transport offenses.

The number of drug-related crimes has not declined despite the application of...