On the morning of 2/9, the National Assembly Standing Committee discussed the draft Law on Organization of Criminal Investigation Agencies (amended). This legislation, set for National Assembly approval next month, includes a significant proposal from the government.

The government proposes eliminating the Supreme People's Procuracy's investigation agency. Under the draft law, its authority would shift to the Investigation Security Agency of the Ministry of Public Security. Similarly, the Central Military Procuracy's investigation authority would transfer to the Ministry of National Defense's Investigation Security Agency.

Furthermore, the government seeks to expand the investigation authority of agencies under the People's Public Security and the People's Army. This expansion, covering other crimes as assigned by the Minister of Public Security and the Minister of National Defense, aims to ensure objectivity in case resolution.

The Ministry of Public Security previously justified this proposal by citing the current investigation agency system as cumbersome and overlapping. It argues that organizing investigation agencies across numerous ministries creates multiple focal points, contradicting the guiding principle of "assigning only one agency to lead and implement a single task".

Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, speaking at the session on 25/9. *Photo: National Assembly E-portal*.

Phan Chi Hieu, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee and representative of the verifying agency, stated that the Committee's Standing Board advocates for specific regulations on the organizational structure of investigation agencies under the People's Public Security and the People's Army. These regulations should be directly integrated into the law, ensuring consistency with the organizational frameworks of the People's Procuracy and the People's Courts.

Currently, the Supreme People's Procuracy's investigation agency and the Central Military Procuracy investigate crimes infringing upon judicial activities, corruption, and official position offenses within the judiciary. These crimes involve cadres and civil servants from investigation agencies, people's courts, people's procuracies, enforcement agencies, and those authorized to conduct judicial activities. Organizationally, the Supreme People's Procuracy's investigation agency comprises one head, three deputy heads, eight department chiefs, and 16 deputy chiefs.

In 4/2025, the Supreme People's Procuracy commented on the draft, proposing to retain its investigation agency. The Procuracy argued that its function of overseeing judicial activities, participating in criminal proceedings, and supervising civil, administrative, and commercial case resolutions enables it to detect crimes within judicial operations. Therefore, the Procuracy's investigation agency is crucial for detecting and handling these crimes, and for controlling power in the judicial sector.

Son Ha