Legal Self-Defense Instruments

Accompanying the development of a country in terms of economy, politics, and society are increasingly more social evils arising. In the morning, just glancing through the news pages, one cannot avoid seeing theft, robbery, murder for property, the most notable recent example being the case of a university female student being killed and robbed by a taxi driver while watching an exam. And certainly, everyone wants to equip themselves with something for self-defense. But be careful not to violate the law!

Current Vietnamese law stipulates and strictly prohibits individuals from owning weapons except for rudimentary weapons, which include daggers, swords, spears, spikes, bayonets, knives, machetes, knuckle dusters, clubs, bows, and crossbows (Clause 1, Article 5 of Ordinance 16/2011/UBTVQH12). However, not all cases allow individuals to possess rudimentary weapons.

Article 14 of Decree 25/2012/ND-CP stipulates that individuals are only permitted to possess rudimentary weapons in the following cases:

- Exhibition, display;- Family heirlooms;- Traditionally handed down according to the customs and practices of ethnic communities.

Thus, individuals are allowed to possess rudimentary weapons if they fall under the above cases. However, possession does not mean carrying it on their person for "self-defense" purposes. Because, Point a, Clause 2, Article 4 of Decree 25/2012/ND-CP strictly prohibits carrying, producing, storing, and transporting rudimentary weapons illegally.

Therefore, although carrying rudimentary weapons for the good purpose of "self-defense" is still against legal regulations.

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