More than 30,000 people have already signed a clemency petition for Took Leng How. Took deserves a second chance.Please write to the president requesting him to commute the death sentence of Took Leng How.
On 26 August 2005, Took Leng How was sentenced to death for the murder of 8-year-old Huang Na on 10 October 2004.
Singapore law mandate capital punishment upon conviction for murder, with no discretion in sentencing being allowed to the trial judges.
The death penalty is a "cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment." It violates the right to life.
The abolition of the death penalty is essential for the protection of this right to life.
Think Centre's call to right to life in connection with capital punishment is guided by the desirability of abolition of the death penalty which has been expressed on numerous occasions by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Committee, the Economic and Social Council and Security Council [in its resolutions 808 (1993) of 22 February 1993 and 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994]
Took, a migrant worker from Malaysia, was a vegetable packer at a wholesale market and was acquainted with Huang Na's mother, as the woman had once worked there. The girl herself knew Took well and they often played together.
After his arrest, Took told police that he and Huang Na were playing a game of hide and seek on October 10 and he tied Huang Na's hands and feet as part of the game. She was then left in a dark room where she accidentally injured herself by knocking her head against some boxes. Took said that when he returned to the room, he found the girl bleeding from the mouth. He panicked and started to strangle her. He then undressed her to give the impression of a rape.
Took appealed to the Court of Appeal in the Supreme Court. On 25 January 2006, the 3-member Court of Appeal upheld the sentence in a two-to-one decision. Chief Justice Yong Pung How and Judge of Appeal Chao Hick Tin agreed with the decision of trial judge Lai Kew Chai. Justice Kan Ting Chiu delivered a dissent as he felt that there was a reasonable doubt on Took's conviction.
APPEAL
A clemency appeal to the President of Singapore is currently pending. More than 30,000 people have already signed a clemency petition for Took Leng How. Took deserves a second chance. Please write to the president requesting him to commute the death sentence of Took Leng How. Send you appeals before 11th May 2006
SEND YOUR APPEALS TO:
The President
His Excellency S R Nathan
Office of the President
Istana, Orchard Road
Republic of Singapore 0922
Faxes: +65 738 4673
Email: s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg
COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING::
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Office of the Prime Minister Istana Annexe,
Orchard Road
Republic of Singapore 0923
Faxes: +65 732 4627
Email: lee_hsien_loong@pmo.gov.sg
Minister of Law Prof. S. Jayakumar
Ministry of Law
100 High Street
The Treasury #08-02
Singapore 179434
Fax: +65 6332 8842
Email: supmlaw@cs.gov.sg
Wong Kan Seng
Minister of Home Affairs
New Phoenix Park 28,
Irrawaddy Road
Singapore 329560
Fax: + 65 6734 4420
Email Wong_Kan_Seng@mha.gov.sg
Sources and Relevant Links:
Yahoo News 30000 people sign Took's clemency petition
CNA Did Took Leng How suffer from mental illness?
Supreme Court Took Leng How v Public Prosecutor
Wikipedia Took Leng How
Think Centre Singapore: Calls for immediate moratorium on the death penalty
Think Centre Think Centre: Reaffirms Call for Moratorium on executions17 April 2005
UN UN Report on Capital Punishment 2001(E/CN.15/2001/10) 20 April 2005
UN United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes
