Khai also called on the public security ministry, the supreme court, the supreme people’s Procuracy – the prosecutor’s office – and the justice department to consider handing over the bodies of executed criminals to their family.

A decision by the interior ministry in 1974, still in force, bans their handing over.

Besides, the PM called on the agencies to examine the 1999 criminal code and consider abolishing the death sentence for certain economic crimes.

Thorough studies were needed before making any such move, he admitted, however.

In the meantime, the public security ministry is examining replacement of the firing squad with either remotely-fired guns or lethal injection to ease the burden on the executioners and make for more precision.

Reported by Manh Quan – Translated by Hoang Bao