Singapore defends Nguyen hanging

The Advertiser (Austrailia) ^ | Nov. 30, 2005 | Advertiser Story Monkey

[End Times Sentinel]

Singapore defends Nguyen hanging

30nov05

SINGAPORE'S High Commissioner in Australia Joseph Koh has defended his country's decision to execute convicted drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van as correct and responsible.

In an opinion piece published in Fairfax newspapers today, Mr Koh said Singapore had not breached international law, with no existing international agreement to abolish the death penalty.

"Capital punishment remains part of the criminal justice systems of 76 countries, including in the United States, where it is practised in 38 states," he said.

"We respect Australia's sovereign choice not to have capital punishment. We hope Australia will likewise respect Singapore's sovereign choice to impose the death penalty for the most serious crimes, including drug trafficking."

Mr Koh's comments were in direct contradiction to a statement issued by former Australian High Court judge and governor-general Sir William Deane yesterday.

Sir William, who commented on the Nguyen case in a "private capacity", said Friday's planned execution was a breach of the standards of international law.

"What is involved is the intended execution of an Australian citizen pursuant to a mandatory death sentence," Sir William said in the statement.

"That is to say without any true assessment by a court of what punishment is appropriate in all the circumstances of the particular case.

"That being so, the proposed killing of Mr Van Nguyen would be a breach by Singapore of basic current principles and standards of international law."

But Mr Koh said Australians should accept the Singapore Government's responsibility to protect people whose lives would be "blighted and destroyed by the drug syndicates".

In a piece in which he debunks "fictions" that have sprung up around the Nguyen case, Mr Koh said the punishment did fit the crime.

"Mr Nguyen was caught with 396g of pure heroin, enough for 26,000 'hits', with a street value of more than $A1 million," he wrote.

Other "fictions" were that Nguyen could testify against drug lords, that Nguyen was an unsuspecting victim and that the death penalty had not deterred drug trafficking.

He denied that the Singapore Government "connived with drug lords" and that Singapore had treated Australia with contempt.

"Singapore highly values good relations with Australia and with Australian leaders," he said.

"The Singapore cabinet deliberated at length on Mr Nguyen's clemency petition... unfortunately, finally the cabinet decided that it could not justify making an exception for Mr Nguyen.

"It had to treat Mr Nguyen consistently with similar past cases, and apply the law equally to Singaporeans and foreigners."

[End Times Sentinel]

Yeah, well, tough luck there Tuong.  That's the law of natural consequences.  Smuggling drugs into Singapore is pretty high on my list of things not to do, along with climbing into the tiger's cage at the zoo and teasing them.

I know that some folks have been the innocent victim of having dope stuffed into their bags by baggage handlers baggage handlers.  However in this guy's case, it seems like he was fully aware of what he was doing:

Nguyen had been sentenced to die by hanging after his conviction on charges of transporting 396 grams of heroin through Singapore airport in December 2002, en route from Cambodia to Australia. The young man was desperate to raise money for his twin brother, Khoa, who was in serious financial trouble, pending criminal charges, over drug problems. For this tragic mistake, Nguyen, the son of a Vietnamese refugee who had never had any previous trouble with the law, paid with his life.

Source (Warning, commie paper)

Owl_Eagle

"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in.  I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"

-Hillary Clinton

(Yes, she really said that

Peggy Noonan

The Case Against Hillary Clinton, pg 55)

[DTogo]

There are plenty of multi-lingual warnings on all flights into Singapore about the penalties for drug smuggling, and plenty of pre-customs multi-lingual warnings as well; basically hinting at would-be smugglers to dump their stuff in the W/C.

No excuses.

[Frank_2001]

He's now known as Nguyen Tuong Hung;)

[SolutionsOnly]

I defend it too.

Drug dealers do tremendous harm to society. I support the death penalty for these vermin.

[mrs. a]

"For this tragic mistake, Nguyen, the son of a Vietnamese refugee who had never had any previous trouble with the law, paid with his life."

This was not a "tragic mistake." This young man made the CHOICE to smuggle drugs.

He isn't the first to die from a CHOICE...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I think they even have "amnesty drops", where you can discard contraband with no questions asked. This is the warning on the Singapore website;
WARNING:

DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER SINGAPORE LAW

It doesn't seem vague to me!

[Prost1]

End of Story!

[kerryusama04]

I got some shore leave in Singapore in the early 90's. Not a whole lot of crime out there. Their penalties for drug possession and use back then were really severe, too. Their males had to do 2 years in the military, too, if memory serves. If they could get rid of the muslim nut-jobs, it would be a pretty nice place to visit.

[DTogo]

They certainly make every attempt to warn people and allow them to get rid of their stuff.

Of course the baggage claim area is just before customs, too, so any "stash" in the checked baggage could be dumped.

[SolutionsOnly]

I remember several years ago when an American punk kid got sentenced to public flogging for spray painting graffiti on cars.

There was the usual bleeding-heart outcry from some, but for the most part, Americans supported the sentence. I was one of them.

[kerryusama04]

Yeah, I think we were out there around that time. After seeing the fruit of their justice system first hand, I have no beef with that. Immediate and fierce reprocussions tend to qwell crime in a hurry.

[GW and Twins Pawpaw]

I wonder if that kid became a repeat offender here after returning home?

[RGSpincich]

What luck! Singapore wasn't even involved in the distribution or supply of the drug in this case. This guy was transporting Cambodian heroin through Singapore to Australia. Singapore is doing Australia's dirty work and should be thanked.

[SolutionsOnly]

I wonder if that kid became a repeat offender here after returning home?

exactly.

[DesertSapper]

I'm no big supporter of Singapore's semi-police state but it IS their country.

I say good riddance.

When do we start exporting our drug dealers over there?

[jwh_Denver]

Singapore could just as easily said "Hey, don't send your retards to Singapore".

[MBB1984]

Good for Singapore. I think we should take some lessons from Singapore in their treatment of criminals.

[Americanexpat]

I went on R/R to Thailand in 1965 and it was known back then that Singapore had a zero tolerance of drugs. Good for Singapore.

[ops33]

"..basic current principles and standards of international law."

Another one of those empty and meaningless phrases librals like to throw out there. Just where are these principles and standards listed?

[PAR35]

Yes, I recall that he got in trouble again in the US.