Is the board regime for inmates in Vietnam similar to those in films?
Under Article 48 of the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments 2019, the board regime for inmates in Vietnam is stipulated as follows:
1. Inmates in Vietnam shall be provided with prescribed rations of rice, green vegetable, meat, fish, sugar, salt, fish sauce, cooking oil, monosodium glutamate, and fuel. For inmates doing heavy and hazardous jobs as prescribed by law, their food rations shall be increased but not exceeding two times the standard rations for normal days. On holidays prescribed by law, inmates will have additional food but not exceeding five times the standard rations for normal days.
Based on requirements of ensuring the health of inmates during incarceration, work and learning at the places of serving their sentences, the Government shall prescribe specific food rations suitable to economic and budget conditions and market price fluctuations. Superintendents of prisons, superintendents of detention centers and heads of criminal judgment execution agencies of district-level police offices may decide to swap food rations to meet practical needs in order to ensure that inmates eat up their food rations.
2. In addition of food rations prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, inmates may use their presents and money to afford more food but not higher than three times the monthly food ration per inmate.
3. Inmates shall be provided with hygienic food and drink. Cooking for inmates shall be done by inmates themselves under the supervision and examination of the prison or detention center or the criminal judgment execution agency of the district-level police office.
Kitchens for inmates shall be equipped with necessary utensils for cooking food, boiling water and dividing food to inmates according to standard rations.
4. Inmates shall live in communal prison cells, excluding those who must be separately held under Points d, dd, e and g, Clause 2 and Clause 3, Article 30 of this Law. The minimum sleeping area per inmate is 2 square meters (m2). For an inmate having a small child to raise, she must have a sleeping area of at least 3 m2.
Thus, regarding the board regime for inmates in Vietnam, inmates will be provided and ensured specific nutritional standards: starch, fiber, protein, etc. There is no starch-only diet as rumored or depicted in films. Therefore, you can be assured about this matter.
Sincerely!
