Death penalty undermines human dignity and right to life

Think Centre Media Release 11 July 2012

Death penalty undermines human dignity and right to life
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=3125

Think Centre welcomes the Singapore Government's move to review the mandatory death penalty.Think Centre has consistently appealed for gradual abolition of the death penalty and to seek alternatives to the death penalty. But sadly, Singapore continues to execute prisoners by hanging.

11 July 2012 (Singapore) - Think Centre (TC), Singapore's oldest political association, welcomes the Singapore Government's move to the review of the mandatory death penalty, which is long overdue but necessary in line with international human rights standards. The revision will provide judicial discretion to judges to lessen the number of death penalty sentences to drug couriers, persons with mental disability, and murder cases. This change is a potential life-saver for alleged couriers who have thus far been most vulnerable and regular victims of mandatory death penalty.

TC calls for moratorium on and abolition of death penalty

TC has been campaigning for a moratorium and abolition of death penalty since 2000s. We view the death penalty as a "cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment" and are opposed to the death penalty being meted for drugs, murder, and other crimes. But sadly, Singapore will continue to legally execute prisoners by hanging. TC regrets the Executive's stand that mandatory death penalty should continue to apply in most circumstances, which is inconsistent with the UN High Commissioner's call on Human Rights recent call.

TC has consistently appealed for gradual abolition of the death penalty and to seek alternatives to the death penalty. TC's submission and oral statement to the United Nations Universal Periodic Reporting (UPR ) session in 2011 called for abolition of mandatory death penalty with a view to total abolition. The Singapore government's argument that death penalty is an effective deterrent to serious crimes is not well substantiated. There is no conclusive evidence to show that it is any more effective than other form of punishments.

Death penalty is an act of vengeance that is detrimental to building a civilized society, and demeaning to all. Its continued use disregards human compassion, care and concern and does not give a chance for human beings to change. We, as a society, should adopt a system where justice is meted out in a fair and humane manner. A moratorium will allow the public to discourse and re-examine both purpose and effectiveness, and salvage the lives of victims of miscarriages of justice. There are alternative punishments to the death penalty and we should not continue our practice of killing another human being in the name of justice.

Right to Life is fundamental

A more rational and humane approach is overdue and exigent. TC makes the following recommendations to the Parliament, Government and fellow citizens to:

•Adopt a rights-based approach in the pursuit of death penalty moratorium and abolition legislation;

•Remove the mandatory death penalty for more serious offences besides drugs and murders;

•Support the Judiciary in its exercise of full judicial discretionary powers without fear or favour of the Executive, in order to achieve fairness for drug, murder
and all cases;

•Support a fairer and more transparent open-trial system for proper disclosure of capital cases, less investigative biases, less use of undisclosed evidence,
track down withheld evidence etc;

•To take the opportunity to have more open dialogues, discussions and debates about the merits and suitability of the death penalty for crime deterrence
in the context of a maturing society vis-a-vis the need for Singapore to respect and adhere to international human rights norms.

TC urges the public to show greater compassion in a caring and sharing society, respect the values and expectations of society for social justice, as conscience of society evolves and matures such that there is unequivocal recognition of sanctity of life. TC looks forward to engaging the government, creating societal awareness and CSO capacity-building efforts to bring Singapore in line with international human rights standards and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Everyone deserves a second chance.

In solidarity
Kong Soon Tan
President
Think Centre

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Note: Think Centre's call to right to life in connection with capital punishment is guided by the desirability of abolition
of the death penalty which has been expressed on numerous occasions by the UN General Assembly, the
Human Rights Committee, the Economic and Social Council and Security Council[ in its resolutions 808 (1993)
of 22 February 1993 and 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994]. Where miscarriages of justice have occurred and
wrongly convicted and executed - the death sentence is too late for an appeal.

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References:

Singapore set to ease death penalty laws, Credit: ABC.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/onairhighlights/singapore-set-to-ease-death-penalty-laws/977382
10 July 2012

Statement of High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at the OHCHR-Global Panel on
"Moving away from the Death Penalty – Lessons from national experiences", 3 July 2012, New York
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12320&LangID=E
3 July 2012

Death Penalty: SAVE THE LIFE OF SHANMUGAM MURUGESU
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2570
16 April 2005

Death Penalty: NGUYEN, Vietnamese refugee-cum-scout
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2347
27 March 2004

J.B.Jeyaretnam Calls for a Criminal Cases Review Commission
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2207
19 October 2003

Think Centre calls for a moratorium on Death Penalty
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2205
19 October 2003

Singapore: Indian migrant worker facing execution
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2104
20 June 2003

Singapore opposed the call for a moratorium on death-penalty
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=1397
31 March 2002

Zulfikar bin Mustaffah to be Hanged this Friday
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=1125
27 September 2001

Zulfikar bin Mustaffah is a Drug Addict but NOT a Drug Trafficker!
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=818
01 June 2001

Imminent Execution, 30 May 2001, Zulfikar bin Mustaffah, Aged 32, Unemployed
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=812
30 May 2001

ENDS

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