Yong’s lawyer appealed against his death sentence by challenging the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking and seeking judicial review of the clemency process. The appeals were rejected in April 2011, clearing the way for Yong’s execution. His last hope is clemency from the President of Singapore, who can grant this only on the advice from the Cabinet. Clemency for a death sentence in Singapore has reportedly been granted only six times since independence in 1965.
Please write immediately in English, Chinese or your own language:
- Stop the execution of Yong Vui Kong;
- Suspend all executions and the imposition of new death sentences as a step towards total abolition of the death penalty;
- Revoke legislation establishing mandatory death sentences.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 27 February 2012 TO:
President of Singapore
His Excellency Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam
Office of the President
Orchard Road, Singapore 238823
Email: istana_general_office@istana.gov.sg
Or fill-in the comment form at the President’s office via: http://www.istana.gov.sg/content/istana/feedback.html
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
The Online Citizen
A Community of Singaporeans
(an alternative news source for Singapore)
Email: theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
Also send copies to the Singapore Consulate General:
Consul General Ker Sin Tze, Unit 901, 9th floor, Admiralty Centre Tower 1, 18 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong .
Fax (852) 2866-1239
Email: Singcg_hkg@sgmfa.gov.sg.
Salutation: Dear Consul-General
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Under Singapore's drug laws, a defendant is automatically presumed guilty of drug trafficking in cases where possession of heroin exceeds two grams. This provision violates the defendant’s right to be presumed innocent of a crime until proven guilty.
Singaporean law also makes the death penalty mandatory for trafficking more than 30 grams of heroin. In 2007, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston said, “Singapore’s decision to make the death penalty mandatory keeps judges from considering all of the factors relevant to determining whether a death sentence would be permissible in a capital case.“
If time is short, please feel free to use/adapt this letter:
(salutation)
I am writing to you to express my concern about the case of Yong Vui Kong, whose 24th birthday falls on January 19th. Yong has now spent more than half of his adult life on death row and will pass his birthday in prison. His lawyer appealed against his death sentence by challenging the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking and seeking judicial review of the clemency process. The appeals were rejected in April 2011, clearing the way for his execution.
Yong’s last hope is clemency from the President of Singapore. He has only one wish for his 24th birthday: a second chance in life. He recognises that he has made a serious mistake and has repented. To mark your election as the new President of Singapore, I urge you to grant clemency to Yong, and save this young man’s life.
I also urge the Singapore government to revoke legislation establishing mandatory death sentences. Singaporean law currently makes the death penalty mandatory for trafficking more than 30 grams of heroin. Such legislation removes the ability of judges to consider mitigating factors when imposing death sentences. Under Singapore's drug laws, a defendant is also automatically presumed guilty of drug trafficking in cases where possession of heroin exceeds two grams. This provision violates the defendant’s right to be presumed innocent of a crime until proven guilty.
The use of the death penalty violates the right to life and is irreversible. Exercising clemency in Yong’s case could be the first step in starting the process towards suspending all executions and stopping the imposition of new death sentences, leading to total abolition of the death penalty in Singapore. Abolition of the death penalty is an international trend, with Mongolia being the most recent country in Asia to take this step. I sincerely hope that your presidency will distinguish itself by ridding Singapore of the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
Yours sincerely,
(your name)
