Vietnam, Laos draft agreement on transfer of imprisoned persons

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Under the authorization of the Vietnamese State President and Prime Minister, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam leading other relevant Vietnamese ministries and agencies negotiated with the Lao side on a bilateral agreement on transfer of imprisoned persons on July 2 in Hanoi.

The two delegations at the event.

The negotiating delegation of Vietnam was led by Lieutenant General Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and Administrative, Judicial Reforms under the Ministry of Public Security while the Lao delegation was led by Senior Colonel Kiengkham Inphengthavong, Deputy Chief of the Laos Ministry of Public Security’s Office.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged detailed information about the relevant legal systems of the two countries, so as to seek consensus on each article of the agreement in line with the Vietnamese and Laos laws.

The two delegations also affirmed that such an agreement also creates the best conditions for imprisoned persons to reintegrate into the community after serving their sentence, as well as contributes to protecting citizens of each country.

After the negotiation, the two delegations agreed to submit the draft agreement to the competent authorities of the two countries for further consideration, and expressed their hope that it would be signed in the near future.

Vietnam and Laos have signed a treaty on mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters in 1998.  However, the 21-year-old document does not stipulate the transfer of sentenced persons.

The new agreement, accordingly, is expected to strengthen and improve the legal basis for the two countries' law enforcement agencies to implement transfer of imprisoned persons, ensuring that crimes must be strictly punished on the basis of  the laws of each country.

The negotiation and preparation for signing the agreement on transfer of imprisoned persons between Vietnam and Laos entirely follows the Vietnamese Party and State guidelines on strengthening international cooperation in the field of law and justice, in line with the global trend of signing bilateral agreements in the same field.

The move also contributes to ensure Vietnam's commitments to the multilateral international treaties, which the country is member to, such as the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, UN Convention against Corruption, UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The signing of such an agreement also helps also deepen the Vietnam-Laos special ties.