Smuggler's Plea For Mercy

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http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...465256,00.html

Smuggler's Plea For Mercy
Updated: 11:45, Saturday November 19, 2005



An Australian drug smuggler who is to be hanged in two weeks is appealing to his home government to make a last-ditch effort to save his life.

Nguyen Tuong Van, from Melbourne, was convicted last year of trying to smuggle 400g (0.9 lb) of heroin from Cambodia.

He was arrested at Singapore's Changi airport while in transit for Australia in December 2002.

He said he was carrying the drugs to help his brother pay off debts to loan sharks.

Australia has asked Singapore to reconsider clemency for him because he had cooperated with authorities and could be a witness in future drug cases.

His mother, Kim Nguyen, is to be allowed extra visits in the days leading up to the execution.

Lawyer Lex Lasry said there was an "outside chance" that Singapore would grant his 25-year-old client clemency but said he would appeal to the Australian government to seek help, possibly from the United Nations' International Court of Justice.

He said he might also push the government to take the case to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Malta next week.

"Now that it's clear that negotiations with Singapore are probably not going to have any effect, we have to see what else we can do," Mr Lasry said, after visiting Nguyen in Changi prison.

"We'll be pressing the Australian government to make representations. It's an outside chance, but we will keep trying until the end."

hanging? thats barbaric, when will these people get out of the "medi-evil" punishment, and he didnt even smuggle a large amount... 400g? thats not even half a bag of sugar, over here if u have that, you get released in a year, 6 months if your lucky..

hope they can get this guy released

[Lakie]

he wont be released, i doubt the singaporians will even give him clemency.

While i do not suppoort the use of death penalty as a sentence in any case, the legal system of singapore cannot be considered unjust by any more means than any other country and has to be respected. For Australia to intefere above and beyond any legal process would be encroaching on singapores rights as a recognized sovereign nation.

[Hellfighter]

he was only transversing the drugs, he was being blackball in to doing it. sorry don't feel the punishments fit the crime. this is only a over kill of Justice.

but i am sad for him and his family.

think its cheaper and stop waste of their money to drag things out so they come up with a cheaper way to end it all.

[-live-wire-]

That sucks...we should send our child molesters and rapist over there...

[Terry]

too rite livewire!

[DevilDog#1]

To quote a german soldier in "The Great Escape" "OFF TO SIBERIAN FRONT!"

[BADDOG]

Originally posted by -live-wire-
That sucks...we should send our child molesters and rapist over there...

I totally agrrr bro!!!!

Warmest Regards

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update - http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...473155,00.html

Heroin Smuggler Hanged
Updated: 10:25, Friday December 02, 2005

Convicted Australian drugs smuggler Nguyen Twong Van has been hanged in Singapore.

There were emotional scenes in Singapore and Australia as hundreds attended vigils and protests against the execution.

Nguyen was sentenced to death for trying to smuggle almost 400g of heroin via Singapore to Australia in 2002.

Possession of more than 15g of heroin is punishable by death in Singapore.

A statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs said: "Mr. Nguyen failed in his appeals to the court of appeals and to the president.

"The sentence was carried out this morning at Changi Prison."

The day before he was hanged Nguyen was visited by his mother Kim and his twin brother Nguyen Khoa.

Singapore authorities allowed them to hold hands, having previously kept Nguyen separated from his family by a glass screen.

Officials said it followed a personal request from Australian Prime Minister John Howard to his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong.

At his trial Nguyen said he was smuggling drugs to help pay off his brother's debts.

The case has sparked outrage in Australia and there have been concerns it could harm relations between the two countries.

[Trojan]

Herion has never helped relations between Nations and Family.. There were other ways to recieve assistance to help his brother.. He knew he was taking a chance regardless.. He should have known the laws in Singapore.. May he rest in peace and pray his brother gets assistance.. troj

[Hellfighter]

man thats real sad.