STATEMENT BY MR MARK NEO, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ON AGENDA ITEM 69 (C) HUMAN RIGHTS, THIRD COMMITTEE, 24 OCTOBER 2012

Mr Chairman,

1                Thank you for giving me the floor.  My delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr Christof Heyns for his presentation.

2                Mr Chairman, it is Singapore’s firm and consistent belief that extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions have no place in any society.  My delegation strongly condemns the extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions that continue to occur throughout the world today, and regrets that the perpetrators of such crimes often go unpunished. 

3                It thus came as a surprise to my delegation that Mr Heyns chose to focus on the death penalty in his report, A/67/275, on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.  We cannot imagine how the application of the death penalty, which is in accordance with due process of law and judicial safeguards, could be considered an extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary execution.   

4                My delegation notes that Mr Heyns built his argument on the requirement of non-arbitrariness in the context of the death penalty.  He attempted to show that the application of the death penalty is arbitrary when it is mandatory and imposed for crimes other than intentional killing.  Mr Chairman, my delegation categorically rejects this argument, which itself reflects no more than Mr Heyns’ own summary, arbitrary and extrajudicial opinion.  Key international instruments that apply to countries with a wide divergence in culture and values do not proscribe the use of the death penalty in their texts.  My delegation wishes to stress that there is no international consensus for or against capital punishment, including mandatory capital punishment, when imposed according to the due process of the law. 

5                There is also no international consensus on the imposition of the death penalty for drug traffickers when imposed according to the due process of the law.  Drug trafficking is a serious crime that has a pernicious and widespread impact on society and the community at large.  Singapore is among the nations that views it as a most serious offence for which a sentence of death should be imposed.  Any rational debate on the use of the death penalty for drug-related offences must take into account the rights and interests of the people whose lives are shattered and communities that are destroyed as a consequence of this trade.

6                Mr Chairman, under international law, every country has the sovereign right to decide on its own criminal justice system.  Singapore’s application of the death penalty is in no way arbitrary.  We have a robust criminal justice framework and the presumption of innocence is inherent in our legal system.  We conduct regular and stringent reviews of the efficacy of our criminal justice system, including our penal laws and the applicable sanctions. 

7                My delegation therefore disagrees with Mr Heyns that his mandate in respect of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions includes the death penalty. 

8                Finally, my delegation would also like to hear Mr Heyns’ views on whether the number of extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions in situations of armed conflict has worsened in the past year and his key concerns in this regard.  Thank you.   

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