Media Release
MICHAEL HODGMAN, QC MHA
Her Majesty’s Shadow Attorney General
Friday December 2, 2005
Van Nugyen
Shadow Attorney General Michael Hodgman QC today deplored the barbaric and inhumane execution of Nguyen Tuong Van by the Singapore Government today.
Mr Hodgman said he was devastated that the efforts of so many people to get the Singapore Government to recognise the inhumanity of its mandatory death penalty had failed, and his heart went out to Van Nguyen’s family, friends and legal team.
“No one has ever argued that Van Nguyen was not deserving of a significant and long punishment for his admitted crime of trying to smuggle heroin into Australia.
“Of course Van Nguyen should have been punished, and punished severely.
“There is no question that the heroin this man was carrying could have ruined and destroyed hundreds of lives.
“But the injustice of executing this man, given the extraordinary and exceptional circumstances, is profound.
“I have worked closely with Van Nguyen’s lawyer, Lex Lasry QC, in recent weeks discussing the case and what measures could be taken in Tasmania, and Australia, to assist in trying to get the Singapore Government to show clemency to this young man.
“From what Mr Lasry has told me from Singapore this week, this is a case of an inspirational young man, a man of extraordinary inner strength, who had accepted his wrongdoing and his fate, who was completely rehabilitated and reformed.
“This is a man who, had he been shown the clemency he deserved, could have offered so much to society in terms of warning young people around the world of the stupidity of actions such as his, the ramifications of one massive mistake.
“In a sense, I suppose he has done that now and that is the only thing we can take away from this disgraceful event.
“Van Nguyen has also highlighted the profound injustice of the mandatory death penalty, and the inhumanity of hanging, and I also hope that this terrible outcome can perhaps also provide some genuine stimulus for change.”