Asian Tribune joins with HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force ) and Amnesty International in calling for the immediate stop of the halting the secret execution one Mr Chandran a/l Paskaran that is to take place on 7th February 2014 in Kajang prison.
HINDRAF has called upon the Attorney General’s office to immediately take the necessary pro- active steps in halting the execution one Mr Chandran a/l Paskaran ,
The call for abolishment of death sentence had been in place since October 2012, when Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri had voiced out his intention to move a moratorium bill with the support both from the government and opposition to abolish death sentence in Malaysia.
In July 2013, in association with the Bar Council, Death Penalty Project (DPP) launched a finding of a public opinion survey on the mandatory death penalty and found that the public was favourable in abolishing death penalty.
Thereafter in October 2013, during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the government had agreed to heed the call of the international community on the recommendation made by them in abolishing death sentence.
The government had committed to respond to the Human Rights Council by March 2014 on the recommendation made.
In the meantime, Amnesty International has urged that Malaysian authorities must immediately halt plans to carry out yet another “secretive execution” this Friday.
Amnesty International said that it has learned that the Malaysian authorities plan to execute death row prisoner Chandran on Friday 7 February who has been imprisoned for murder for 11 years.
“The execution of Chandran would be an enormous step backwards on human rights for Malaysia – the authorities must put a stop to these plans immediately,” said Hazel Galang-Folli, Malaysia Researcher with Amnesty International.
“For Malaysia to try to carry out executions in near-total secrecy is shameful – the government is essentially trying to hide its human rights violations from the world. Chandran’s family was informed only yesterday, and they are at a complete loss as to what they can do.”
P.Waytha Moorthy , Chairman of Hindraf in a statement said, Even our neigbouring country Singapore had amended their law in regards to death sentence in July 2013 and in November 2013, although Malaysian,Yong Vui Kong was sentenced with death sentence in May 2010, he was relieved from mandatory death sentence when he was able to apply for his death sentence to be made as a life imprisonment and been granted the same.
He further added, A death sentence is incompatible with human rights and human dignity as it violates the right of life which is most basic human rights. Therefore we urge Bar Council, Suhakam and all like-minded civil societies to lend their support in safeguarding and promoting Human Rights by voicing together in an effort to halt the impending execution of Mr Chandran that is to take place this coming Friday.
Editor Asian Tribune joins with HINDRAF and Amnesty International to stop the secret execution of Chandran .