What are penalties for kidnapping for ransom in Vietnam? What are some judments related to this issue?

In Vietnam, depending on the severity of the violation, an individual involved in kidnapping for ransom can face criminal prosecution under various penalties, with the maximum being life imprisonment.

1. What are penalties for kidnapping for ransom in Vietnam?

Based on Article 169 of the Criminal Code of Vietnam 2015 (amended in 2017), the penalties for kidnapping for ransom are stipulated as follows:

- Imprisonment from 02 years to 07 years: For anyone who kidnaps another person as a hostage with the intent to extort property.

- Imprisonment from 05 years to 12 years: For offenses involving one of the following circumstances:

+ Organized crime;

+ Professional nature;

+ Use of weapons, means, or other dangerous methods;

+ Involving a person under 16 years old;

+ Involving two or more people;

+ Extorting property valued from 50,000,000 VND to less than 200,000,000 VND;

+ Causing injury, harm to health, or mental disorder and behavior of the victim, with the body injury rate ranging from 11% to 30%;

+ Adversely affecting public security, order, and social safety;

+ Dangerous recidivism.

- Imprisonment from 10 years to 18 years: For offenses involving one of the following circumstances:

+ Extorting property valued from 200,000,000 VND to less than 500,000,000 VND;

+ Causing injury, harm to health, or mental disorder and behavior of the victim, with the body injury rate ranging from 31% to 60%.

- Imprisonment from 15 years to 20 years or life imprisonment: For offenses involving one of the following circumstances:

+ Extorting property valued 500,000,000 VND or more;

+ Causing death;

+ Causing injury, harm to health, or mental disorder and behavior of the victim, with the body injury rate 61% or more.

- Imprisonment from 01 year to 05 years: For preparing to commit the crime of kidnapping for ransom.

If involved in kidnapping for ransom in Vietnam, the offender can be prosecuted criminally with penalties ranging from 02 years of imprisonment to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

Additionally, individuals involved in kidnapping for ransom may also be fined from 10,000,000 VND to 100,000,000 VND, face probation or residency restrictions from 01 year to 05 years, or have a portion or all of their property confiscated.

2. What are some judgments related to the crime of kidnapping for ransom in Vietnam?

Below are some judgments related to the crime of kidnapping for ransom adjudicated by courts in Vietnam:

Judgment on the crime of kidnapping for ransom No. 54/2024/HS-ST

- Adjudicating body: People's Court of District 8, Ho Chi Minh City

- Excerpt of content: On February 6, 2023, at a roadside cafe, the defendants Le Minh Q and Pham Dang H assaulted and controlled Mr. Dinh Hoai B, transporting him to various locations intending to pressure Mr. B to call and demand Mrs. Dang Thi Thu V (Mr. B's biological mother) and Mr. Tran Van N (Mr. B's stepfather) to deliver the amount of 40,000,000 VND to Q, only then would Q release Mr. B. Around 10:30 am on February 6, 2023, when Q and H transported Mr. B near the Binh Dien market intersection, Ward 7, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City, they were apprehended by the Criminal Police Team of District 8, Ho Chi Minh City.

Judgment on the crime of kidnapping for ransom No. 42/2021/HS-ST

- Adjudicating body: People's Court of Ham Thuan Nam District, Binh Thuan Province

- Excerpt of content: On August 25, 2020, on National Highway 1A in front of the Industrial Zone gate, defendant U illegally detained Mr. Pham Hoai P and brought him to the private home of Mr. Nguyen Van K. At Mr. K's home, defendant U and defendant H controlled Mr. P to prevent him from escaping, forcing him to call and text his biological mother, Mrs. Ho Thi Ngoc T, demanding she bring money to repay debts; defendant H called and texted to threaten and demand Mrs. T bring the amount of 10,000,000 VND to repay the debt for Mr. P, only then would they release him. Out of fear for Mr. P's safety, Mrs. T agreed to bring 10,000,000 VND to the defendants, hence around 3:30 pm the same day, defendant H transported Mr. P to the gasoline station No. 14 as arranged with Mrs. T to receive the money, and was caught in the act while receiving the 10,000,000 VND from Mrs. T.

Judgment on the crime of kidnapping for ransom No. 20/2022/HS-ST

- Adjudicating body: People's Court of Ba Ria City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province

- Excerpt of content: Due to Nguyen Nhat T owing Nguyen Thanh M an amount of 270,000,000 VND, on the afternoon of November 11, 2015, at VL cafe, Nguyen Thanh M, Tran Van Th, Trinh Van L, and Le Van V forced Nguyen Nhat T onto a car and took him to a motel with the intent to detain him until the debt was repaid. After realizing that T could not repay the debt, the group took turns guarding and controlling him, transporting him to various locations to avoid detection by the police and to prevent T from escaping, thereby threatening T's family to repay his debt. Nguyen Thanh M contacted Mr. Nguyen Cong B (Nguyen Nhat T's biological father) and demanded money to release T.

On November 13, 2015, at V cafe, Nguyen Thanh M and Tran Van Th were caught in the act of receiving 50,000,000 VND from the victim's family. At VL cafe, after hearing T say he had no money to repay M, Le Van V raised his hand intending to hit T but was stopped by others; he then participated in transporting T from the motel to a pub on the night of November 12, 2015, and directly called to threaten Mr. Nguyen Cong B.

Sincerely!

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