Margret Nduta, a Kenyan national sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking, has received a reprieve as her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment on Thursday, July 31. This decision, announced by Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Korir Sing’oei, marks a significant step, though efforts for her full release are still ongoing.

• Nduta was convicted of smuggling over two kilograms of narcotics after her apprehension at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.
• The original death sentence was handed down on Thursday, March 6, by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court.
• The commutation allows Nduta to apply for leniency or clemency, a process that requires approval from the President of Vietnam.