Minister of Public Security General Lương Tam Quang (right) meets with General Arkady Aleksandrovich Gostev, Director of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service, in Hà Nội on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Public Security General Lương Tam Quang met with General Arkady Aleksandrovich Gostev, Director of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service, in Hà Nội on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in criminal sentence enforcement.

Quang affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to consolidating and promoting its traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia. Việt Nam seeks to develop reliable, substantive and effective cooperation in security and law enforcement, based on stronger political trust and closer coordination.

The official praised the effective cooperation between Việt Nam’s Ministry of Public Security and Russian security and law enforcement agencies.

Cooperation between the ministry and the Federal Penitentiary Service has also made positive progress. Since the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in October 2025, competent agencies have achieved notable results in criminal sentence enforcement, prisoner management, education and rehabilitation.

Quang noted that transnational and organised crime, high-tech offences and emerging forms of crime with foreign elements posed growing challenges. He called for stronger coordination, information exchange and experience sharing to improve security and law enforcement cooperation, including in criminal sentence enforcement.

He proposed more delegation exchanges, thematic meetings, seminars and practical experience-sharing activities to identify areas of cooperation suited to both sides’ needs. The two agencies should also establish regular communication channels to exchange information, assess emerging issues and improve the prevention, detection and investigation of violations.

Both sides were encouraged to share experience in applying science and technology to sentence enforcement and detention facility management.

Quang also proposed exploring cooperation in handling cases involving foreign elements, particularly those concerning citizens serving sentences in the other country, in accordance with each agency’s authority, domestic laws and relevant international treaties.

He highlighted the importance of training and developing skilled personnel through expert exchanges, training courses and the sharing of professional documents and experience. Such activities would help officials better understand each other’s legal systems, organisational structures and responsibilities.

Quang said the two sides should continue reviewing cooperation needs and implementation methods to deliver practical results.

For his part, Gostev expressed support for the proposed directions and affirmed his desire to further promote cooperation between the two agencies, particularly in sharing experience in prisoner management, education and rehabilitation; staff training and capacity building; and the application of science and technology in carrying out their duties. — VNA/VNS