(Bangkok, 10 October 2018) \u2013 The Asian \nForum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and 28 civil society\n organisations in Asia condemn the recent imposition of the death \npenalty by the Singaporean authorities on Abdul Wahid Bin Ismail, Mohsen\n Bin Na\u2019im, and Zainudin bin Mohamed. All three were convicted of \ndrug-related offences and were executed on 5 October 2018. As a network \nof human rights organisations, FORUM-ASIA sees the death penalty as a \ngrave violation of the right to life \u2013 the most fundamental and \nessential human right for other rights to be realised. It serves no \npurpose to the State and its people in their pursuit of justice. We \ntherefore call on the Government of Singapore, and other Governments in \nAsia that retain the death penalty to immediately impose a moratorium to\n the death penalty, as the first step towards its abolition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The use of the death penalty has seen a \nglobal decline in recent years, signifying a movement towards more \neffective ways of deterring crimes.[1] Despite this global trend, \nseveral Governments in Asia continue to use the death penalty. Just this\n year, India expanded the scope of crimes covered by the death penalty. \nThe numbers of those sentenced to capital punishment in Bangladesh \nyearly remains unabated. The region has also seen an increased tendency \nto use the death penalty for drug-related offences. Indonesia has been \nexecuting primarily those convicted of drug trafficking in recent years.\n It is estimated that China executes hundreds to thousands yearly for \ndrug trafficking or murder, although exact figures are hard to find. The\n Sri Lankan Cabinet recently approved the President\u2019s proposal to take \nsteps towards implementing the capital punishment to those sentenced to \ndeath for drug offences and who continue to operate \u2018drug rackets\u2019 while\n in prison. In the Philippines, several State officials continue to push\n for the revival of the death penalty, despite having previously \ncommitted itself to its abolition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Governments continue to retain the death \npenalty despite troubling concerns. There is no convincing evidence to \nsupport that the death penalty deters crime. In Mongolia, the death \npenalty was abolished after it was recognised that the threat of \nexecution did not have a deterrent effect.[2] Arguments for its use are\n based more on public opinion rather than on solid scientific evidence. \nThe effect of the death penalty disproportionately affects those who are\n often the poor and the most marginalised, as they have limited access \nto resource and power. Judicial systems worldwide are all susceptible to\n abuse. In Vietnam, the cases of Ho Duy Hai and Le Van Manh, who were \nsentenced to death despite gaps in evidence and allegations of police \nimpunity, cast strong doubts on the credibility of the judicial system. \nCapital punishment is irreversible; it violates the right to life and \nthe right to live free from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment \u2013 \nfundamental rights of all human beings. It goes against our goals of \npromoting rehabilitation for the convicted, and the values and standards\n of universal human rights we all stand for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the World Day against the Death Penalty,\n we express our grave concern on the continuing use of the death penalty\n in Asia. We call on all Governments to work for the abolition of the \ndeath penalty and to create a justice system that can respect human \nrights for all, including the perpetrators and the victims. Only when \nwe respect the right to life and dignity of all can we move towards a \nglobal humane society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The statement is endorsed by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[1] http:\/\/www.worldcoalition.org\/worldwide-database.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n