On the afternoon of 29/8, the Presidential Office held a press conference to announce President Luong Cuong's amnesty decision.

According to the decision, the president granted amnesty to 13,915 inmates serving prison sentences and 5 individuals whose sentences were temporarily suspended. The decision takes effect on 1/9.

This brings the total number of people pardoned in 2025 to 21,976, including 8,056 from the first round.

Senior Lieutenant General Le Van Tuyen, Deputy Minister of Public Security, at the press conference. Photo: Pham Du

Senior Lieutenant General Le Van Tuyen, Deputy Minister of Public Security, at the press conference. Photo: Pham Du

Senior Lieutenant General Le Van Tuyen, Deputy Minister of Public Security, stated that over the past 80 years, the State has granted amnesty 40 times, demonstrating its humanitarian nature. Including the first round, 2025 marks the year with the highest number of amnesties ever.

Compared to the first round, the criteria for this amnesty have been broadened due to the significance of several national events this year.

Another new aspect is the expanded classification of emulation considerations. The Amnesty Advisory Council provided more specific guidance on the condition that 'the amnesty should not negatively impact security and order'. This allows prisons and relevant units to apply more concrete criteria for their review.

This is the third time two amnesty rounds have occurred in a year, following 2009 and 2011. Most pardoned individuals reintegrate quickly into society, finding stable lives and honest work, with a very low recidivism rate.