The decision was made after considering the inmates' petitions for commutation of death sentences and the decisions of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuracy, the opinions of the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, the Chief Procurator of the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Chair of the President's Office on the case of convicts applying for a death penalty pardon.

The four prisoners that have their death penalty reduced to life imprisonment are Le Thi Thu Thao, Vietnamese nationality, born in 1982, guilty of illegal trafficking of narcotics; Thao Xua Thin, born in 1986, Lao nationality, guilty of illegal transportation of narcotics; KhamChanh Daovone, born in 1986, Lao nationality, guilty of illegal transportation of narcotics; and Mua A Cha, born in 1991, Vietnamese nationality, guilty of illegal transportation of narcotics.