Think Centre is very disappointed that Nguyen Tuong Van faces death by hanging for a non-violent drug offence. The death penalty for Nguyen Tuong Van is unfair, cruel, inhuman, degrading and disproportionate punishment. It violates the right to life.
Nguyen Tuong Van is facing the death penalty for a non-violent drug offence. Nguyen Tuong Van, an Australian, had plead for clemency from the President of Singapore, Sellapan Ramanathan.
The death peanlty for Nguyen Tuong Van is disproportionate and cruel. Is the death sentence in the case of Nguyen just? Justice has become a victim of a law that provides for the state with a "legal framework to kill a person." Its against both the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Death for NGUYEN Tuong Van is disproportionate given the nature of his crime, his youth, lack of criminal history and his opportunity for rehabilitation.
Think Centre opposes the death penalty as a violation of the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Think Centre is very disappointed that Nguyen Tuong Van faces death by hanging. Think Centre had been hoping that the President will commute Nguyen's death penalty. Since 2003, Think Centre has been calling for a moratorium on Death Penalty.
Think Centre urges the President to call for a moratorium on Death Penalty and request the Singapore government seek a more humane way to overcome the problem.
Think centre calls on all concern persons, groups and organisations to light candles and host vigils in the coming weekdays - to remember those on death row, pray for Nguyen Tuong Van, and death penalty victims like Shanmugam. Pray the government, the lawmakers, will respect and consider the call for a moratorium on death penalty. Save the lifes of those on death row.
The Singapore government 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 and seek a more humane way to overcome the problem.
In Singapore, the death penalty by hanging is implemented on Friday morning's. There are at least 8 persons on death row.
Think Centre urges the Singapore government to impose a moratorium on executions, with a view to complete abolition, in line with the April 2005 UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) resolution on the question of the death penalty; and the UNCHR urges states which still maintain the death penalty not to impose it as a mandatory sentence, or for crimes without lethal or extremely grave consequences.
The impending execution of Nguyen Tuong Van is a travesty of justice and a failure of diplomacy, writes Mark Baker. AGE, Melbourne 25 October 2005 Singapore's deadly Sling
Sources, News and Relevant Links:
Think Centre Death Penalty: Nguyen Tuong Van appeals
Think Centre Death Penalty: NGUYEN, Vietnamese refugee-cum-scout
Think Centre Drug Addicts and Death Penalty in Singapore 13 July 2001
The Courier-Mail MERCILESS CITY-STATE IS THE HANGMAN OF ASIA 05 Nov 2005
The Age Diplomatic Hopes Fade For Nguyen 5 November 2005 Australia:
The Age Fighting Against The Tide Of Opinion 05 November 2005
The Age The letter from George Yeo to Alexander Downer 4 November 2005
The Age Nguyen supporters vow to fight on 3 November 2005
The Age Time running out for Nguyen 4 November 2005
AFP Singaporean activists campaign against hanging of Aussie drug runner 1 November 05
The Age Time to retire the noose 2 November 2005
Asian Human Rights Comission - Urgent Appeal SINGAPORE: Australian national faces imminent death by hanging
Amnesty International Singapore: Imminent Execution: Van Tuong NGUYEN (m), Australian national 24/10/2005
AI Australia Singapore: Appalling decision to execute Van Tuong Nguyen
The Australian
Nguyen Hangman Unmasked
The Australian Macabre Legacy Nguyen will be hanged in Singapore using a method devised in 19th-century Britain
The Australian Queen cannot act on Nguyen - without the approval of the British Government. 03 November 2005
ABC.Net Mum seeks Queen's help to save son October 30, 2005
The Age Mother's desperate plea October 23, 2005
The Australian Teachers back Nguyen campaign October 29, 2005
ALP Australian Labor Party Request to the Government of Singapore 28th October 2005
The Australian Govt 'working for Nguyen' October 28, 2005
AI Australia Australian Parliamentarians Take Up Petition 26 October 2005
AI Australia Queensland Parliament calls for clemency
AI Australia 3000 candles of hope lit for Van Tuong Nguyen 31 October 2005
News.com Postmark death row letter sent 26 October 2005 "To you, hello, hi, smile before proceeding, say cheers."
News.com Nguyen's pal tells of loan 30 October 2005
The Australian Singapore will not make an exception OPINION: Asad Latif
ABC NewsMelbourne man to be hanged ABC News, Friday, October 21, 2005
Foreign Prisoner support Service Australian to be executed in Singapore
Law4 PUBLIC PROSECUTOR vs Nguyen Tuong Van
Mapinc Singapore Upholds Death Sentence For Australian October 2004 A Singapore court upheld the death sentence for a 24-year-old Australian man of Vietnamese origin found guilty of smuggling 400 grammes of heroin. Nguyen Tuong Van, arrested at Changi airport in December 2002. If the petition fails, Van will be the first Australian citizen executed in Singapore.
Catholic Weekly Cardinal: Don't kill trafficker 27 March 2005 The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, said: "People who have met him and talked with him say that his repentance is genuine; they say, therefore, that he's rehabilitated, and I think with evidence of his sincerity we can cite this willingness to co-operate with the Australian authorities."
