Tet amnesty for over 8,000 prisoners

Vietnam will grant amnesty to 8.277 prisoners to mark the lunar new year, reported Vietnam's Tien Phong newpaper. Only those with "good re-education records" will be considered for amnesty, it added. The decision was made by the National Amnesty Consulting Council, subject to approval by President Tran Duc Luong. The government traditionally grants amnesty to certain prisoners on special occasions, such as Tet, Vietnam National Day (Sept. 2) and Ho Chi Minh's birthday. (Agence France Presse, Jan. 13).