"Straits Times starts to character assassinate Mr.M.Ravi instead of a pat on the back, he gets a knock on the head. Shame on Straits Times, it sounds more like a propaganda machine in trying to belittle Ravi. Its hard to find a lawyer like Ravi working for the rights of those facing the death penalty." Sinapan Samydorai, Think Centre.
NEWS Photo's Shanmugam's funeral
There's a report in today's Sunday Times [15 May 2005], "Lawyer's publicity stunts under fire".
It's about M. Ravi, a lawyer who tried his best to keep his client Shanmugam Murugesu from the hangman's noose.
It was reported that "Senior lawyers have distanced themselves from what some called publicity stunts by counsel M. Ravi, in his bid to get the death sentence lifted for drug trafficker Shanmugam Murugesu."The report quoted some of M. Ravi's peers. I felt like throwing-up when I read their comments.
One by Mr Lim Kia Tong, "a criminal lawyer for 25 years" was quoted as saying "The President's right to grant or not to grant clemency cannot be challenged...so Mr Ravi's tactics are quite senseless." Senseless? M. Ravi along with many others did their best to save Shanmugam. While trying to do that, they raised the awareness in Singapore of the death penalty issue. I find Mr Lim's comments senseless.
Another, Mr Edmond Pereira, said "A lawyer should advise the family that once the President turns down the clemency plea, the due process has taken it's course. Yet, after exhausting all avenues, Mr Ravi went on and even tried to garner public support to save his client's life. This creates false hope." What in god's name is wrong in garnering public support? The public has the right to know about the issues involved. The law and it's reform is not only for lawyers.
And another, Mr Shashi Nathan, "There are checks and balances to prevent any miscarriage of justice, and to claim that the law is flawed after it has run its course is something a lawyer cannot do." A lawyer can and should point out the flaws in the law when lawyers are in the best position to do so and do something about it.
Mr Leonard Loo, another lawyer, said "Moral objections to capital punishment play no part in a court of law and there are judges who impose the death sentence although they are personally against it." Judges are also in a position to initiate any reform if they want to and moral objections need to be considered in such reforms. (Read Mandatory Death Sentence in Singapore)
There is one last comment by lawyer Mr Davinder Singh whose the CEO of the law firm Drew & Napier. He is also a ruling party MP on the government parliamentary committee for Home Affairs & Law. He said "Public opinion has no weight, as a court considers only the legal aspects. So a lawyer should focus all his efforts in arguing the case." As if M. Ravi didn't focus all his efforts! Public opinion has no weight huh? I'm not surprised as this comment comes from a ruling party MP. Even though Mr Singh added "After all, a lawyer is expected to try his very best for his client," I'll just dismiss whatever he said and don't bother to give a reply.
Senior lawyers were also "critical of his (M. Ravi's) participation in a forum on capital punishment on April 16, when he sat alongside opposition politicians J. B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan. His subsequent acts were dismissed as mere attempts at courting publicity." What is so bad in speaking out at a forum on death penalty to raise awareness of the issue? So what if he sat beside J. B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan? The last I checked the latter two are not part of any terrorist outfit!
On the whole, the report with its sensational title puts a bad light on M. Ravi and by extension, all the people who were involved in this effort to stop the execution.
I would like to end by quoting M. Ravi, who said in the report "So in the face of inevitable failure, we just give up and go home? I don't subscribe to that kind of thinking. I worked for the family for free and the attempt failed this time but we have made some headway in highlighting the horrors of capital punishment."
Think Centre will continue the call for a moratorium on death penalty. Think Centre calls on everyone, everywhere, to sign the petitition and say Yes to a Moratorium. The death peanlty is a cruel, inhumane and degading punishment. Sign Petition: Singapore: Calls for immediate moratorium on the death penalty
Sources and Relevant Links:
Ome Kana Huria Rather than a pat on the back, he gets a knock on the head 15 May 2005
ome kana huria Mandatory Death Sentence in Singapore 06 May 2005
Think Centre President unable to accede to constitutional court hearing 12 May 2005
Think Centre 13 May 2005 Shanmugam hanged: Condolences to the Family
The Observer Singapore finally finds a voice in death row protest "The government clearly does not want the campaign gathering momentum. The partially state-owned local media ignored the vigil and the police shut down the open mike session just as the first person was getting into his stride . " The Guardian
