Vietnam is set to release nearly 3,800 prisoners, including approximately 20 foreigners, in its latest amnesty, as announced by the government on Monday. This amnesty marks the ninth special release since 2009, during which over 92,000 inmates have been freed ahead of their expected release dates. However, those convicted of political offenses, such as attempting to overthrow the communist government or terrorism, are excluded from this clemency.
The upcoming release, scheduled for Tuesday, follows Vietnam’s National Day celebrations on September 2. Among the prisoners being released are detainees from various countries, including Cambodia, China, Iceland, India, Laos, South Africa, and the United States.
This announcement comes on the heels of the early release of two high-profile detainees earlier this month. Environmental activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong was serving a three-year sentence for tax evasion linked to her environmental campaign group, CHANGE. Meanwhile, political dissident Tran Huynh Duy Thuc was sentenced to 16 years in 2010 for allegedly attempting to undermine the regime.
Officials did not disclose the total number of prisoners currently detained in Vietnam, although authorities previously indicated that around 643 foreigners are serving jail terms. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 160 political prisoners remain incarcerated in the country.
