Abstract:
“Lawyers and Prosecutors under Legal Reform in Vietnam: The Problem of Equality” is a research work by Lawyer Nguyen Hung Quang, conducted beginning in 2003 and published in 2007. The study was included in the same volume edited by Professors Mark Sidel and Stéphanie Balme. It approaches the role and position of lawyers in Vietnamese society from the perspectives of state officials, judges, and the general public. At the time, Vietnam had just issued Resolution No. 08 on key tasks for judicial reform. The research begins with an analysis of the high-profile Năm Cam criminal trial to raise the question of whether lawyers could attain equal footing with prosecutors in order to better protect citizens’ rights. To answer this question, the study provides an overview of the historical development of the legal profession in Vietnam, helping readers understand why lawyers have not been fully recognized in the past. It also describes differing viewpoints on the roles of lawyers and prosecutors in criminal proceedings, illustrating the significant challenges faced by the legal profession within the justice system. The research argues that these divergent perceptions are hindering the development of the legal profession in Vietnam and will likely constrain the objectives of the country’s ongoing judicial reform.

Suggested Citation: Quang N.H. (2007). Lawyers and Prosecutors under Legal Reform in Vietnam: The Problem of Equality (162-177). In: Balme S., Sidel M. (eds) Vietnam’s New Order. The CERI Series in International Relations and Political Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

See further information about the book at: https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781403975522