October 10th World Day Against the Death Penalty

Posted by Sinapan Samydorai under Breaking News on 3 October 2005

We believe that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to enhancement of human dignity and progressive development of human rights. Think Centre calls for the moratorium on the death penalty in Singapore.

October 10th World Day Against the Death Penalty

NO TO DEATH PENALTY

Think Centre calls for a moratorium on death penalty.

Think Centre calls on everyone, everywhere, to sign the petitition and say Yes to a Moratorium.The death peanlty is a cruel, inhumane and degading punishment.

Sign Petition
Calling for Moratorium on the death penalty

We believe that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to enhancement of human dignity and progressive development of human rights. Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December 1948, and article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted on 16 December 1966 refers to the abolition of the death penalty. International documents have restricted and in some cases even banned the death penalty, calling for the abolition of death penalty.

The Singapore government has ignored the UN Special Rapporteurs recommendation of 1996."The Special Rapporteur wishes to reiterate his call on the Government of Singapore to change its Drug Act so as to bring it into line with international standards. The Special Rapporteur considers that the Misuse of Drug Act, which partially shifts the burden of proof to the accused, does not provide sufficient guarantees for the presumption of innocence and may lead to violations of the right to life when the crime of drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence."

"An immutable fact remains that the loss of life is irreversible and judicial error irreparable. A wide range of experts in sciences such as criminology, sociology and psychology have expressed doubts concerning the deterrent effect of capital punishment. Therefore, Governments of countries in which the death penalty is still enforced are urged to deploy every effort that could lead to its abolition, the desirability of which has repeatedly been affirmed by the General Assembly."

Think Centre's call to right to life in connection with capital punishment is guided by the desirability of abolition of the death penalty which has been expressed on numerous occasions by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Committee, the Economic and Social Council and Security Council[ in its resolutions 808 (1993) of 22 February 1993 and 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994]

Let us rise above our feelings of fear and vengeance to seek solutions to drug trafficking and crimes that reflect human dignity and promote justice for all. We call on our government, the members of parliament, to abandon the use of death penalty.

In the interim, we endorse a moratorium on the death penalty in Singapore as fair and moral regarding the death penalty. It gives a chance to re-examine both the purpose of the penalty and its perceived effectiveness, and can save the lives of the condemned.

A sentence of life in prison for the most serious offenses would keep us just as safe. We could offer more help and guidance to troubled kids before they turn to drugs and crime. Instead of investing foolishly in vengeance, we ought to be investing wisely in humanity and human dignity.

Death penalty is a practice from the past like torture and slavery which must be rejected by all decent human beings. The death penalty is a inhumane, cruel and degrading punishment. The right to life is the most fundamental of all human rights. Since 1991, the government had hanged to death more then 400 human beings.

We bring to your attention that in Singapore drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence and is inconsistent with the criteria of absolute necessity and proportionality. When a court wrongly sentences a person to death, the result is irreversible.

Sign Petition
Calling all heads of African countries to totally abolish the death penalty

Africa is on its way to universal abolition of the death penalty. Of the 53 countries on the continent, 12 have permanently abolished the death penalty, and 20 other countries are no longer carrying out executions. Thus a majority of African countries have abandoned using this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

Two Africans sentenced to death

Think Centre: Reaffirms Call for Moratorium on executions

Poem: Hung at Dawn

HUNG AT DAWN

Police Ban Sam's Face

13 May 2005 Shanmugam hanged

How do we explain to our children that if they make a mistake there is no second chance? What values are we teaching our children? Is that why an increasing number of children and adults are facing suicide instead of trying to find a solution to their problems?

The government here seems to be unnecessarily cruel without any mercy given to those who have make honest mistake. Why not give the person a second chance? This cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment has to go. The laws that permit such cruel punished has to be amended. Think Centre calls on the government, members of parliament, to abandon the use of the death penalty.


Show some love,



Back to Previous Page