Vietnam, Australia strengthen cooperation in extradition and transfer of sentenced persons

The meeting aimed to exchange information and enhance coordination in extradition and the transfer of sentenced persons between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Australian Federal Police.

At the meeting, Deputy Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and Administrative–Judicial Reforms Lieutenant Colonel Dao Anh Toi briefed the Australian side on extradition requests issued by Vietnam for extradition of Vietnamese fugitives currently seen in Australia.

He noted that, since the two countries signed the Extradition Treaty in 2012, the MPS of Vietnam has sent 19 extradition requests to Australian competent authorities, including suspects in particularly serious criminal cases.

Regarding cooperation on the transfer of sentenced persons, since the signing of the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons in 2008, Vietnam has handed over 11 Australian nationals serving prison sentences in Vietnam to Australia to continue serving their sentences in the country.

By contrast, Vietnamese competent authorities have received three Vietnamese nationals serving prison sentences in Australia to return to Vietnam to continue their imprisonment in the country.

Chief Liaison Officer of the AFP Office in Hanoi Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton highly appreciated the positive results of cooperation between the MPS and the AFP in recent years, particularly following the elevation of Vietnam–Australia bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024.

The guest also updated Vietnamese officials on the AFP’s process of resolving Vietnam’s extradition requests, affirming that the AFP would advise relevant Australian authorities to prioritize the extradition of  the prisoners highly requested by Vietnam.

The AFP Chief Liaison Officer also pledged that he would continue to advise Australian competent authorities to early transfer Vietnamese prisoners to Vietnam so that they can serve the remainder of their sentences in their country and stay closer to their families and have more chance for social reintegration in the future.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in extradition and the transfer of sentenced persons in the time ahead, contributing to upholding the rule of law and preventing criminals from evading justice, while deterring offenders seeking to flee from one country to the other.