~by: Ravi Philemon~
I refer to the Law Ministry's media release refuting Human Rights Watch's (HRW) country report for Singapore. In its media release the Law Ministry said, " HRW also made false assertions. For example, contrary to assertions in its news article1, capital punishment is not prohibited by international law".
Although I did not find that particular assertion in HRW's country report, I found this, ' Singapore continued to implement mandatory death sentences for some 20 drug-related offenses in the face of repeated criticism by UN human rights bodies and experts'.
Another report published by International Harm Reduction Association, 'The death Penalty for Drug Offences and International Support for Drug enforcement' (which is linked in HRW's website) states, '"The death penalty for drug offences is a violation of international human rights law. Although capital punishment is not absolutely prohibited under international law, its application is limited in significant ways. Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that the penalty of death may only be applied to the ‘most serious crimes’".
HRW's assertion on the death sentence in its country report, is I believe, meant to draw attention to the 'mandatory' aspect of the death penalty and how it is applied to drug related offences here in Singapore.
In its media release the Law Ministry said, ' A large number of countries, including many modern, developed countries (like the US) impose the punishment. In Singapore, capital punishment has contributed to low rates of crime and drug use; and is overwhelmingly supported by Singaporeans.'
It's true that although 16 states and the District of Columbia have abolished death penalty in the United States of America, it is still practiced in the other states of the USA. The mandatory death penalty though has been ruled as unconstitutional since 1976 in that country.
Only 5 countries in the world have mandatory death penalty – Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and India. In India it is reserved for murder by a convict serving a life sentence. In Japan it is limited to instigation to a foreign aggression. In Taiwan the mandatory death penalty has recently been relaxed to a large extent. Which means that Singapore and Malaysia remain the only two countries which have not set aside or relaxed the mandatory death penalty.
Professor Michael Hor who teaches at the National University of
I agree with Professor Hor. There is no convincing reason to believe that mandatory death penalty has contributed to low rates of drug use; or that it is overwhelmingly supported by Singaporeans.
Alamak, LP PL. Dont split hairs.
Mandatory death penalty is teh best thing that came into SIngapore. Now I sleep soundly without worry.
Hip hip hooray to mandatory death penalty.
dear Angelina,
haa, thanks for pointing out the fact that DP in S'pore is by lethal injection.
Dear mice is nice
Thanks for your comment, I think I did not state it clearly. Sg's death penalty is still by hanging. It is as babaric as electric chair. I would like it changed to lethal injection.
I would like to add that if MDP proves a deterrent (as if it is DDT to mosquito), it should be applied to casino operators, brothel operators and human traffickers. All these vices destroy families and lives too.
dear Angelina,
oh, okie. good to get things right.
like that part about writing the law on a piece of paper. the reason why some forms of vice is legalised is the fact no govt is able to fight them, so they profit from them. currently its happening in S'pore with sales of cigarettes & legalised gambling, for prostitution profits may be derived indirectly through pub licenses, demand of rental space, alcohol consumption, etc. dun need to guess who profits…
i think the line for MDP & even DP needs some updating…
@jane…i will rape u and screw your whole family, then i will go scot free cuz m juz 19, tender age and from a broken family, please forgive me for when i screw u i don't what m doing, m under the influence of your country given drugs…o by the way, can u prostitute to give me some money for my drug crave..and then i will screw u again for u..free!
I too want the Deat Sentence to stay because the criminal personality will stop at nothing. But not Mandatory death sentence. Automated systems like mandatory sentences of death are faceless.. No one is in charge of the decision. The decision to end life falls out from the word 'mandatory.'.If a mistake is made, 'Mandatory" made the mistake. No one is at fault. The death hangs on no one's conscience. The natural response from any state would be to kill them all and be done with it.
To: law ministry of Singapore
To implement the MDP for the illegal drug user will make Singapore the first country to be 0 % drug user.
@chungzehong
I have lodged a police report against your online threat to rape me. The police WILL be able to trace your IP address from your posting to this website, once they get the rcords from the admin of theonlinecitizen.com. People like you are really sick and should be the ones to get death penalty, not teenagers like Yong Vui Kong. Expect the police to visit you soon. Dumbass.
Did Human Rights Watch point out the fact that:
(1) The average American does not even have the basic human right to freedom from the fear of being randomly gunned down while doing innocent things like studying in universities or waiting our grocery stores.
(2) Freedom to own guns in the US means more than 30000 gunshot deaths per year.
(3) At year-end 2007 the United States had less than 5% of the world's population and 23.4% of the world's prison and jail population (adult inmates).
Based on the above, Singapore is much better in protecting the basic human rights of the people at large from people who behave less than human, and also in preventing crimes from taking place to begin with.
@Jonathan Toh
I score 40% in my Maths test today, that is a lot better than my mate who got only 30%. Therefore I do not need to do a thing! Hooray mum, you can't deny me my 10 hrs video games today again just like yesterday & the day before & the day before &…..
The youth of today is so creative and I am very sure the "most talented individuals" [1] placed in a room for a few hours will arrive at alternatives to the death sentence.
[1] does not refer to government folks, PAPpies, civil servants, other folks in GLCs, etc. but refers to "normal folks"
Richard Branson…yes Mr Virgin is pushing UK to legalize drugs. Put all above ground, openly monitor consumption n progressively Increase tax to drive down consumption….just like ciggies. That is what I call a really useful idea…think about it!
I think they should have a mandatory death penalty for political nepotism and cronyism.
chungzehong and a few others,
Your brain is too small. you or your sons or your grandsons may 1 day be in similar situation. Never say never, things change, life change.
No one call for them to go scot-free.- use your ass to remember this sentence, if needed.