Australia brands Singapore hanging 'barbaric'

The Australian government dropped diplomacy on Thursday and called SingaporeÕs plan to hang a young Australian drug smuggler ÒbarbaricÓ.

Australia has repeatedly sought clemency for Tuong Van Nguyen, 25, who was convicted of smuggling 400 grams of heroin from Cambodia through SingaporeÕs Changi airport in 2002.

Attorney General Philip Ruddock criticised the imposition of the death penalty, especially in NguyenÕs case, which he explained was due to mitigating circumstances - Nguyen had said that he smuggled the drugs to try and pay off a loan-shark debt for his brother in Australia.

ÒIt was a mandatory death sentence. We feel most remorseful that this is going to happen. But itÕs an unfortunate barbaric act,Ó Ruddock told Australian television.

In a tiny concession to Australia, the city-stateÕs prison authority on Thursday allowed Nguyen to hold hands with his mother before his execution but knocked back a request to allow the two a hug one last time.

Singapore is one of AustraliaÕs strongest allies in Asia and Australian Prime Minister John Howard has rejected calls for trade and military boycotts over the execution, which is scheduled for Friday.

Howard has, however, made five personal pleas to Singapore, and his foreign and justice ministers have also pleaded for clemency. But the city-state has stood firm, saying it would not allow Singapore to be used as a transit for illicit drugs.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ruled out any last-minute clemency for Nguyen, ÒThe man was charged, convicted, appealed, dismissed.Ó

Some 420 people have been hanged in Singapore since 1991, mostly for drug trafficking, an Amnesty International 2004 report said. That gives the country of 4.4 million people the highest execution rate in the world relative to population. NguyenÕs hanging is set for the same day the United States is due to execute its 1,000th prisoner since 1977.