Decree-Law No. 257/SL amends Decree-Law No. 22-SL dated August 20, 1948, establishing regulations for prosecuting violations of trade rules between the free zone and the area temporarily occupied by the enemy.

DECREE

NUMBER 257-SL ON NOVEMBER 19, 1948

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VIETNAMESE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICIC GOVERNMENT

Pursuant to Decree No. 222/SL dated August 20, 1948 prohibiting all trade with the enemy;

Pursuant to Decree No. 241-SL dated October 12, 1948 establishing the Central Committee for Economic Siege against the Enemy;

Pursuant to the regulations on trade between the free zone and the temporarily occupied enemy zone;

Pursuant to the proposal of the Minister of Economy and the Minister of Justice;

After the Government Council has resolved and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has agreed;

ISSUES THE DECREE:

Article 1

The prosecution of offenses concerning the trade regulations between the free zone and the enemy-occupied zone, as stipulated in Article 2 of Decree No. 222/SL dated August 20, 1948, shall be defined as follows:

"Article 2: Offenses against this decree and its implementing regulations shall be prosecuted before military courts, except for minor cases which will be tried before ordinary courts."

Article 2

Now, three additional clauses are added to the aforementioned Decree No. 222/SL as follows:

"Article 3: Defendants tried before ordinary courts shall be punished as follows:

Imprisonment from three months to five years and a fine

Not less than the total value of the contraband goods, or one of these two penalties

All goods belonging to the defendant shall be confiscated and sold to be deposited into the public treasury."

"Article 4: Accomplices may also be prosecuted and punished like the principal offenders."

"Article 5: The Provincial Anti-French Administration Committee shall decide on prosecution after consulting the local economic authority.

The exercise of this prosecution power shall be under the supervision of the Central Committee for Economic Siege against the Enemy."

Article 3

The Ministers of Economy and Justice shall implement this decree.

                                                                                                                              Ho Chi Minh

                                                                                          (Signed)