For those who have lobbied for the clemency of Nguyen Tuong Van, please read on.
The following is an appeal for Took Leng How. The 22 year old vegetable packer was found guilty of the murder of an 8 year old girl, Huang Na. He was sentenced to death on 26 August 2005.
Took, a young father of 2 was allowed to make an appeal free of charge. He has appealed for a reduction of sentence from murder to homicide. Currently, there is no news on the outcome of the appeal.
When Van is hung, he leave behind his mother.
When Took is hung, he leaves behind two parents.
When Van is hung, he leaves behind his twin brother.
When Took is hung, he leaves behind a young Indonesian chinese wife and two children.
If Think Centre can organized public forums and petition for Van's clemency, why not Took's?
If Human Rights lawyer M Ravi is to lodge a complaint against the Singapore government why not include Took's case and make it stronger?
If Alex Au, Anthony Yeo, Chee Soon Juan can take time off and take the stand against the death penalty for Van, why not Took?
Both Van and Took are young men, aged 25 and 23.
Both Van and Took are sons of mothers and father.
Where Van is a brother, Took is both a husband and a father.
Are they not more causes for clemency?
Took's case caused public outrage. Van's? Awareness is brought to the people by the relentless updates by Think Centre.
Please sign the petition for Took's clemency. He may not be known internationally, he may not be the star on blogs and forums, but his life is at stake and we are the ones who can save it.
Let the Singaporeans decide.
We make the decision, we stand against the death penalty.
You have lobbied for Van, lobby for Took too.
9 Nov 2005
Clemency for Took Leng How
To: The Government of Singapore
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10 comments:
Steve
I suppose your inspiration was this. However, a clemency petition specifically for Took isn't quite in the spirit of my post either.
The correct target would be complete abolishment of the death penalty, not clemency on a case-by-case basis for people for whom you happen to have sympathy.
It would be easier to emphatise with Van than Took by comparing the nature of their crimes.
Lobbying for Took may also incur outrage among many Singaporeans given the high profile of his case.
These are 2 reasons I feel why it doesn't, and perhaps won't happen.
my reason for posting for clemency for Took is the call for the abolishment of the death penalty. If we could have all the names of those on death row that would be a great help.
Took was guilty of commiting murder, he took a life sadly and will pay for it.
Compare it with carrying about 400grams of heroine powder, we see the serious nature of the crimes above, which one of this criminals would make more sense to be sent to the gallows?
Let us think...
The past tense for a person sent to the gallows is "hanged", not hung. I learnt that from a teacher in primary school, a Catholic primary school in Singapore. It would be useful to write in proper English if you want appeals to be taken seriously, otherwise the English-trained administrators receiving them would just chuckle and then chuck 'em. No kidding! For most of the rest reading this site, I'm quite sure they did not notice any difference.
thanks anonymous for pointing that out I will make sure it is forwarded the writer of the Appeal.
In the context of capital cases / death sentences etc, you go on a slippery slope and end up killing your own cause when you start examining the seriousness of the crime.
So Nguyen deserves to be saved?
What if one, or two, or more of the following is true?
1. His brother is not so sick, after all. It was just a case of [dengue].
2. Nguyen isn't so innocent-looking. Actually he has a somewhat mean and ugly-looking face, and doesn't look so good on a poster.
3. Nguyen admits that the profits he would have personally made from successfully trafficking the drugs would not only pay for his brother's medical expenses, but also finance the purchase of his new Ferrari, his dream car.
4. Nguyen has several past convictions for serious crimes, eg rape.
5. Nguyen has several past convictions for not-so-serious crimes.
6. Nguyen reveals that in fact, he has trafficked drugs successfully through Singapore several times. This is the first time he got caught.
7. Nguyen was caught not for 400 grams of heroin. But 1,000 g or 1 kg - in an elaborate scheme where the drugs were shipped in boxes under the pretext that he was a business importing legitimate goods for trade.
8. Nguyen's mother tells the press, "I am not surprised. He is a terrible person. He has done so many bad things throughout his life. I've always told him, stay away from those triads, but no, all along his dream was to become one of the triad leaders! I believe that he would kill to get there. He's told me that he's been involved in triad battles, even shot some people ....!"
~~~~~~~~
Then imagine if your next case presented with some of those permutations. And your next case, and your next case ....
... of course they will.
Then are you, Mr Campaigner, going to start making those value judgments.
"Nguyen should live, but Shanmugam should die, Tan and Lee can live (they look like nice people in their photos), Joe should die (his mother isn't pitiful enough), I think Soci should live (his UK government is campaigning so well), Mr Wang should die (he talks too much) ..."
Your cause will collapse around your own ears.
"Singapore Government Investment Corporation's 1990s investment in the Myanmar Fund, controlled by Lo Hsing Han, one of Burma's most notorious drug lords, through his Asia World Company......the then prime minister admitted..." How do u view this? Pls enlighten.
The founts of freedom, the UK and USA, are propping-up the Hamid Karzai government in Afghanistan. During the Taleban period, opium cultivation in that country was being steadily cutback. After the Taleban were ousted, and the UK-USA have essentially been calling the shots, opium cultivation is now sky high. Afghanistan remains the world's largest opium, and ipso facto heroin, producing country. How do u view this? Pls enlighten.
Hello Mr Wang
Are you suffering from dengue, same as Nyugen's brother? Well, it's not so sick after all. Believe your mind is sick but your two hands are still strong enough to type a few alphabets, right? So, can u pls let us know whether do you agree with the following questions. You could just simply answer yes or no will do:
1) The investment is in billions of dollars. If it is utilised to make drugs, wouldn't a very huge amount of drugs be produced?
2) Wouldn't it be very very harmful considering the investment was made since 1990 (principal plus profit)on a snowballing effect?
3) Someone said "ignorance of the law is no excuse". However, we're the one imposing such mandate. Do you think we can be ignorant of what we had imposed?
4) Do you agree that everyone makes mistake (including you and me) because of our delusions such as greed, hatred, anger and ignorance? Has it got anything to do with one's appearance?
5) How handsome are you? Can you pls post your picture to us? Anyway, if you can't help others for at least pls don't harm others by insulting them of their appearance.
Thank you very much.
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