12:51pm Friday 4th April 2008
By Mark Chandler
A BRITISH citizen convicted of drug trafficking in Vietnam has been spared the death penalty.
Le Manh Luong, of Ryan Close, Kidbrooke, had been on Death Row since November 2006.
Brain-damaged after his house was bombed by an American B-52 bomber during the Vietnam War, he faced execution by firing squad before President Nguyen Minh Triet granted him clemency.
Mr Luong will now serve a life sentence instead.
A campaign against the execution had been led by charity Reprieve and more than 1,400 people signed a petition on the Downing Street website.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett had both made representations to the Vietnamese president.
His niece Thanh Le Luong's said: "We are so happy. Now we can go and visit him and he will have the horrific ankle and wrist shackles removed.
"My uncle's death sentence has put an incredible strain on the family but we have been overwhelmed by the support for him.
"I am so grateful to the President of Vietnam for sparing my uncle's life."
Reprieve legal advisor Hayley Ichilcik, who attended Mr Luong's appeal last February, said: "This is fantastic news.
"Mr Luong no longer has the shadow of execution hanging over him.
"I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this successful campaign."
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