The recent decision by Vietnam to execute corrupt bankers has garnered world-wide attention. Rather surprisingly, however, the case has an interesting intersection with export law issues.

As has been reported, the bankers will be subject to rather gruesome execution by firing squad.

Vietnam’s traditional means of execution involves binding perpetrators to a wooden post, stuffing their mouths with lemons and calling in a firing squad.

Death Penalty Worldwide adds another gory detail to death by firing squad in Vietnam: “As the prisoner is dying, an officer fires a pistol shot through the condemned’s ear.”

Apparently even Vietnam is somewhat troubled by all this and wants to transition from this barbaric procedure to lethal injection. But it can’t. According to Patrick Winn on the website Global Post, Vietnam is unable to obtain sodium thiopentol used in executions because the European Union refuses to export the chemical to countries that practice capital punishment.

That of course might make the E.U. feel better about itself, but it won’t stop Vietnam from executing anyone and only assures that prisoners in Vietnam will meet their bloody end with a lemon stuffed in their mouth, multiple bullet wounds, and a final coup de grâce of a bullet in the ear. I’m sure that each person executed in Vietnam will appreciate the European Union’s solicitude for their well-being.

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