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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Japan: Travelers get rare 'reminder' about China's death penalty

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The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday issued a rare "reminder" to Japanese travelers bound for China not to get involved in drug smuggling, which could lead to the death penalty.

A ministry source said it is extremely rare that overseas travel information is issued with the aim of raising caution over a specific country's criminal punishment. Such "spot information" is usually released when the security situation deteriorates or a terrorist act is committed.

The reminder comes after China earlier this month executed 4 Japanese men convicted of smuggling drugs. It was the 1st time Japanese nationals were executed there since the 2 countries normalized diplomatic ties in 1972.

The information posted on the ministry's Web site says Chinese authorities deal with crimes involving stimulants, narcotics and other illegal drugs harshly and that "an extremely heavy punishment" is imposed for violations.

"The maximum sentence is the death penalty," it says, urging travelers not to carry or keep luggage without knowing what is inside.

According to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, 30 Japanese nationals were being detained as of January, including the 4 who were executed, in mainland China over crimes related to stimulants and narcotics.

Source: Kyodo News, April 29, 2010
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