I think that perhaps the case should be reconsidered.While he did violate the law by smuggling drugs,I think Singaporeans need to take a good look at the law.Having a mandatory capital punishment for drug trafficking can be a bit of overkill,and perhaps life imprisonment or a a term of say 20-30 years with 24 lashes of the rotan for the first 5 years might be a better penalty.
And we should consider;
http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer...y851303621.asp
"A third brother, Ali Imron, received a life sentence after he cooperated with authorities, showed remorse and urged family and followers not to imitate him."
This is in reference to the Bali Bomber.Nguyen has cooperated with the Singapore authorities,so why not stay the execution and let him rot in jail as a more fitting punishment for himself.
and from another site:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17051708-30977,00.html
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Envoy rebuffs clemency bid
From: AAP By staff writers and AAP
October 27, 2005
LAWYERS for an Australian on death row in Singapore will push ahead with appeals for clemency despite an official saying the convicted drug dealer had been given a fair hearing.
Former Melbourne salesman Van Tuong Nguyen, 25, was caught with 396 grams of heroin strapped to his body and in his hand luggage at Singapore's Changi airport in 2002.
He is expected to be executed in the next four to six weeks.
Joseph Koh, Singapore's high commissioner to Australia, today said Nguyen's plea for clemency had been dealt with fairly.
"He was given a fair hearing throughout the legal process and his appeal for clemency was carefully considered," Mr Koh said.
"After taking into account all factors, the president (of Singapore), on the advice of the cabinet, was unable to make an exception to Mr Nguyen's case."
But Nguyen's Australian lawyer Lex Lasry, QC, today said this was an unsurprising statement and did not deter him from persisting with his appeal to the Singapore Government for clemency.
Mr Lasry said he took issue with Mr Koh's statement that Nguyen's appeal for clemency was carefully considered, as he said there was a clear case for it.
"I see it as a statement of the Singapore Government's position as of today," he said. "It's not surprising."
Mr Koh said Singapore took a serious view of all drug offences.
"We weigh the rights of offenders against the rights of victims and the rights of the community to live and work in safety and security," he said.
International campaign
However, while Singaporean representatives have played down the chances of a successful appeal for clemency, an international campaign to spare Nguyen from the death penalty is gathering steam.
Mr Lasry's colleague, Melbourne barrister Julian McMahon, said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was planning to continue talks with the Singapore Government and he was hopeful these would be positive.
"We've now raised the profile of what we consider some of the key factors and I think that everyone involved will have another closer look," Mr McMahon said on ABC radio.
The Federal Opposition has made a separate bid, with shadow foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd yesterday speaking to Mr Koh, and writing to the country's foreign minister.
Nearly all Federal Members of Parliament are expected to sign a petition addressed to the Singaporean President and Prime Minister pleading for him to be spared the gallows.
Julia Gillard, Senator George Brandis, Bruce Baird, Senator Joe Ludwig and Laurie Ferguson are among those who have signed so far. About 200 workers around Parliament House are also expected to sign.
The Tasmanian and Queensland Governments have now joined Victoria in calling on Singapore to spare Nguyen.
Mr Lasry said his client needed all State, Territory and Federal Governments to pass motions seeking clemency.
International human rights agencies Amnesty International and the Asian Human Rights Commission are also appealing for compassion.
Amnesty International has asked its global network of more than 1.8 million activists in 140 countries to lobby on behalf of Nguyen, while the Asian Human Rights Commission has called on President Nathan for a moratorium on his execution.
Local civil rights group Think Centre will also today hold a press conference in Singapore, detailing its legal case and accuse leaders of the island nation of imposing a "disproportionate and cruel" punishment on him.
It marks only the second time in Singapore's 40-year history that a death penalty case has led to a public outcry.
The first case involved champion athlete Shanmugan Murugesu, described as a "Death Row confidant" of Nguyen. He was convicted of smuggling marijuana and hanged in May.
Nguyen's lawyers said the groundswell of support they had received from Australian governments and international human rights agencies was fantastic and would help their appeal for clemency.
Extradition case comparisons
Meanwhile, Australia's extradition of an accused killer to Singapore last month will be used in a last-ditch bid to save Nguyen.
High-profile Singaporean lawyer M. Shavi, who will spearhead the new legal team for Nguyen, said a brief to President SR Nathan would rest heavily on the extradition from Australia of Michael McCrea.
The British businessman, originally from Nottingham, England, has been charged with killing his chauffeur Kho Nai Guan and the driver's girlfriend, Lan Ya Ming in January 2002.
The Howard Government agreed to extradite Mr McCrea after the Singapore Government pledged not to execute him.
Mr Shavi said he would argue a breach of the Singaporean constitution in extending clemency to one person, charged with a capital offence, while not showing the same sort of consideration to Nguyen.
"The Constitution guarantees equal treatment before the law and clearly that is not happening with these two people, one extradited from Australia and one an Australian national," he said.
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While I'm definitely not against hanging the bugger,there is a bigger picture to consider and perhaps it might be more merciful to let him live in Singaproe jails for the rest of his life and extend such a sentence to fellow drug traffickers.
The Law should be amended to allow for the option of the death penalty or life imprisonment and caning,decided at the discretion of the judge and dependent upon the severity of the offence.
