Lawmakers emphasise human right protection for those under temporary detention

Lawmakers underlined the need to ensure human rights for those under temporary detention or arrest at a debate on the draft law on temporary detention and arrest on February 27, the last working day of the 35th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

The NA Judicial Committee agreed with the call for new laws to ensure that temporary detention or arrest is carried out in line with the 2013 Constitution and address shortcomings that were revealed throughout the past, including incidents of torture and violation of human rights, as well as fatalities of individuals under temporary detention.

Chairman of the NA Council of Ethnic Affairs Ksor Phuoc and Chairman of the NA Law Committee Phan Trung Ly recommended defining the difference between temporary detention and temporary arrest in order to ensure the rights of each specific subject.

Sharing this viewpoint, Deputy Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court Nguyen Van Thuan suggested building separate detention houses for detained persons who are homosexual and juvenile.

According to the 2013 Constitution, people who are under temporary detention or arrest are not considered to be guilty and thus certain civil rights must be ensured, including the rights to safety of life, health care, information access and meetings with lawyers and relatives, the NA Judicial Committee said.

The committee requested the inclusion of detailed stipulations on the rights and obligations of those under temporary detention and arrest.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong said it is important to review the whole contents of the draft law and compare them with international treaties that Vietnam is signatory to in order to ensure that the law is compatible with those treaties.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)