Untitled-in-sydney

Here in Australia there's a lot of anger directed at Singapore.

The island state is, I think, considered by much of the outside world to be a somewhat authoriatian regime. Much publicised restrictions on Chewing Gum (now less so, I believe) tend to enforce that belief.

Capital punishment is another, and particularly relevant to Australian Nguyen Tuong Van whose execution by hanging is scheduled for the 2nd of December.

The death penalty is always an emotive subject. Governments that have it as statute cite it as a required deterrent. Opponents call it state-sponsered murder. For murders it can be even trickier and there have been far too many cases where executed prisoners have later been exonerated for it to sit well with me. There's renewed attention to it in the UK in light of killing of a WPC last week.

Here though, we're not talking about murder. Nguyen Tuong Van was stopped at Singapore's Changi airport carrying 396.2 grams of heroin (split between his luggage and taped to himself).

Not a lot of wriggle room there really, and given Singapore's stated intention to execute drug smugglers, the outcome is pretty much certain. To be fair, you'd think that Singapore executes anyone that even smells of dope but that isn't the case. Less than 15 grams of heroin and it's life imprisonment. 396 grams though, that's the best part of a pound.

I think most people would have sympathy with the family and friends, and there were it seems, honourable intentions here (to pay off a ex heroin-addict brothers' debts), but it's really quite difficult to see why there is quite so much anger.

The Prime Minister has made clemency pleas, as has just about everyone else. Singapore's Prime Mininster (above) says the penalty is necessary. But ultimately it's an internal matter for Singapore, and Australia, and the rest of the world are just going to have to live with it.

Given that this was on the pavement around the corner from home this evening, I think that may take a while.


Do I think it's harsh? Yes. Although my own view is that people should be allowed to stick needles in themselves if they want, or do a Kate Moss special should they so desire, I agree with Singapore's decision. After all, their views are not exactly a secret, and they've drawn their line in the sand and dared people to cross it.

Nguyen Tuong Van
Petition
Anti-hanging