New provisions on prisoners under 18 years of age of the 2019 Law on execution of criminal judgments and some recommendations

Abstract

In the context of international and national law, juvenile prisoners (under 18 prisoners) are considered “vulnerable group” which need special care. Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments 2019 not only inherited but also amended the provisions of Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments 2010 on Juvenile offenders to meet the requirements of the Constitution on guaranteeing human and citizen’s rights. Nevertheless, a number of provisions stipulated therein such as juvenile prisoners’ education, liaison with relatives, prisoners’ medical care, and religious belief practice do not guarantee the rights of juvenile prisoners, which are incompatible with international standards. Therefore, this article analyzes new points in  the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments 2019 on juvenile prisoners, clarifies insufficient provisions and proposes recommendations to improve the provisions to ensure compliance with international standards.