Aussie pressure to drop death penalty
Australia is maintaining diplomatic pressure on Vietnam to waive the death
penalty against an Australian woman convicted of drug trafficking.
Since Le My Linh, 43, was arrested in November last year attempting to smuggle
880 grams of heroin on to a Sydney-bound flight, Australia has maintained a
diplomatic barrage, attempting to dissuade Vietnam from carrying out the death
penalty.
Linh was sentenced in late August for narcotics trafficking, and on September 6
lodged an appeal against the death sentence, Australian foreign affairs officials
said.
The appeal is expected to be heard by the sentencing court in December.
Officials said if the death sentence was upheld on appeal, Australia would
support any requests by Linh for clemency.
Linh was arrested with
the heroin concealed in
boxes hidden on her
person as she was about
to board the flight to
Sydney.
Vietnam has adopted a
tough stance against drug
trafficking and
corruption, with those
found possessing, trading
or trafficking over 100
grams of heroin or five
kilograms of opium facing
the death penalty.
Regular representations have been made by the Australian Ambassador to
Vietnam, while Vietnam's diplomats in Australia have been reminded of
Australia's opposition to the death penalty.
The threatened death sentence is set to strain diplomatic relations.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, in a statement at the time of Linh's
sentencing last month, appealed to Vietnamese authorities not to carry out the
death penalty.
Australia was universally and consistently opposed to capital punishment and
supported its abolition, Mr Downer said.
He said if the death sentence was imposed and confirmed on appeal,
Australia would seek to have the sentence commuted to a custodial sentence.
But Mr Downer added Australia's opposition to the death penalty and the
concerns over Linh's sentence did not diminish Australia's continued support
for firm penalties for drug trafficking offences.
Linh's arrest came just two months before another Australian, Nguyen Thi
Kim Hieu, 35 was arrested at Ho Chi Minh City International Airport with
just over 800 grams of heroin as she was about to board a flight to Australia.
Hieu's case has still to come before the court. Australia has so far appealed to
Vietnam on humanitarian and human rights grounds.
After Vietnam executed a Canadian Vietnamese-born woman on charges of
smuggling five kilograms of heroin through Hanoi international airport, Canada
adopted tough diplomatic measures, suspending government contacts in
2000.
AAP/The Advertiser - September 25, 2002.
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