To address what it deems “inadequate” current penalties, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is proposing significantly harsher prison sentences for a wide array of crimes, ranging from offenses against human dignity to corporate tax evasion.
Latest Developments: The proposed sentencing hikes are embedded within the Draft Policy Dossier for the revised Penal Code, which remains open for public consultation from April 17 to May 7.
Spanning pages 12 through 14, the submission argues that current punishments are “not commensurate” with the severity of the crimes and must be increased to “enhance deterrence and ensure fairness.”
The Details: The MPS targets a broad spectrum of offenses that it claims have shown complex developments, caused significant public concern, or generated massive illicit profits.
- The MPS seeks heavier penalties for crimes directly infringing upon human honor, dignity, and freedom. This includes the humiliation of others (Article 155), defamation (Article 156), and illegal arrest, detention, or imprisonment (Article 157).
- The MPS proposes raising prison terms for the illegal transportation of goods or currency across borders (Article 189), false advertising (Article 197), deceiving customers (Article 198), and tax evasion (Article 200).
- It also includes strict environmental offenses, such as violating regulations on the exploration and exploitation of natural resources (Article 227) and forest protection (Article 232).
The Timeline: Because the proposal is merely a policy draft designed to outline the general direction of legislative revisions, it does not constitute a formal draft law. Consequently, the exact increases in prison time proposed for these specific offenses remain completely undefined.
Thạch Hãn wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on April 23, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights of the English translation.
