Young Man Facing Execution in Singapore

ASA 36/004/2009 (Html here, .rtf file here.)

Yong Vui Kong was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in January 2009. He had exhausted his appeals by October, and can now escape execution only if the president grants clemency.

Read more by clicking one of the links above.

Please send appeals immediately,

• Urging the president to grant clemency to Yong Vui Kong and commute his death sentence;
• Expressing concern that because the death penalty is mandatory for drug-trafficking cases, the court had no discretion to sentence Yong Vui Kong to an alternative punishment;
• Calling on the president to introduce a moratorium on executions, with a view to complete abolition of the death penalty.

Please send appeals immediately, and before December 15, to:

His Excellency SR Nathan
Office of the President
Istana, Orchard Road
Singapore 0922
Fax: +65 6735 3135 (My fax went through on the first attempt.) Email: s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Please send copies to:

Editor-in-Chief
The Straits Times
1000 Toa Payoh North
News Centre,
Singapore 318994
Fax: +65 6319 8282 (My fax went through on the first attempt.) Email: stonline@sph.com.sg

Please also send a copy to the Singaporean foreign mission closest to you.

My letter below:

His Excellency SR Nathan
Office of the President
Istana, Orchard Road
Singapore 0922
Fax: +65 6735 3135

Ole Koksvik
Philosophy, RSSS
The Australian National University ACT 0200
AUSTRALIA 06/11/2009

RE: MR YONG VUI KONG

Your Excellency,

My name is Ole Koksvik. I am a Norwegian citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident, a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University.

It has come to my attention that Mr Yong Vui Kong, who was arrested in 2007 at the age of 19 and who was sentenced to death in January 2009, has now exhausted his appeals, save pardon by the President.

I am writing to urge you to grant clemency to Yong Vui Kong and to commute his death sentence.

I am deeply concerned that because the death penalty is mandatory for drug-trafficking cases, the court had no discretion to sentence Yong Vui Kong to an alternative punishment.

I call on you to introduce a moratorium on executions, with a view to complete abolition of the death penalty.

The death penalty is the ultimate cruel and inhuman punishment, and it is a gross violation of a person's right to life, as embodied in the UDHR.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.


Your sincerely,

Ole Koksvik