Oct. 21
ETHIOPIA:
Ethiopians given death sentences----Oromos complain of persecution in
Ethiopia
3 men have been sentenced to death in Ethiopia after being found guilty of
the mass murder of more than 200 people over a decade ago.
The court said the men were all members of the rebel Oromo Liberation
Front.
The court was quoted as saying they were guilty of "torturing, throwing
their victims alive in wells, cutting their throats and gunning them
down".
OLF rebels have been fighting for the independence of Ethiopia's southern
Oromo region for more than a decade.
Ethiopia accuses the OLF of a series of bombings.
The victims were alleged to be spies for the ruling party in the eastern
Hararghe region.
The death sentences still need to be approved by the Ethiopian president.
Another man was sentenced to 20 years in jail.
(source: BBC News)
SINGAPORE/AUSTRALIA:
Ties may save death-row man
Strong ties between Australia and Singapore might save the life of a
Melbourne man on death row.
As the Victorian Government joined the growing clamour to save the life of
Nguyen Tuong Van, Melbourne barrister Julian McMahon said Singapore and
Australia had strong links through trade, education and the fight against
terrorism.
"We are more closely connected with Singapore than almost any other
country," Mr McMahon said.
Attorney-General Rob Hulls said yesterday the State Government strongly
supported moves to save Nguyen, 24, a former salesman of Mulgrave.
"Mr Nguyen is an Australian citizen who ordinarily resides in Victoria and
I wish to express the Victorian Government's strong support for any
attempts by the Australian Government to seek clemency," Mr Hulls said.
"The Victorian Government is fundamentally opposed to the death penalty in
any circumstances.
"Capital punishment is a cruel, oppressive and disproportionate penalty."
Singapore's Court of Appeal on Wednesday dismissed Nguyen's appeal against
his conviction and mandatory death sentence for importing heroin into the
country.
Nguyen's only hope now is a successful plea for clemency to Singapore's
President, S.R. Nathan.
Mr McMahon said, "We regard it as very important that Australian citizens
understand that the issue is saving his life.
"What the Australian people think is important both to us and we have no
doubt . . . to the Singaporeans because of the close friendship between
the countries."
Nguyen was in transit from Cambodia to Melbourne when he was caught at
Changi airport with 396g of heroin strapped to his back and in his
backpack.
His trial heard he told police he carried the drugs to repay $30,000 in
debts accumulated by his twin brother.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer repeated yesterday he would
appeal to Mr Nathan to spare Nguyen's life.
Nguyen is just one of 200 Australians who are in prisons overseas.
According to figures supplied by the Department of Foreign Affairs, 215
Australians are in jails from Madrid to Fiji.
(source: Herald Sun)
