March 22
VIETNAM/AUSTRALIA:
Australian loses death penalty appeal
An Australian man on death row in Ho Chi Minh City for a drug offence has
lost his appeal against his death sentence, leaving presidential clemency
as his only hope of avoiding a Vietnamese firing squad.
Tran Van Thanh's wife, Do Lan Tanh, who lives in Cabramatta, yesterday
said she did not know whether the Howard Governmenulsuccessfully intervene
to save her husband's life.
"I don't know, how can I?" the mother of two boys, 5 and 3, said as she
awaited news of the appeal court's decision. "Please ask them to help me."
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said the Australian
Government would support Mr Tran's appeal, which must be lodged within
seven days. Already the Government is involved in the high-profile case of
Nguyen Tuong Van, 24, who has appealed to Singapore president SR Nathan to
avoid Singapore's hangman for attempting to traffic heroin through Changi
airport. Catholic Archbishop George Pell has also vowed to ask the Pope
for help to save Nguyen's life.
Mr Tran's case has received much less publicity. Mr Tran, 39, who migrated
to Australia 6 years ago, was arrested along with 4 others, including
Australians Pham Martin, 47, and Tran Van Viet, 29, after one member of
the group was caught in a hotel room with 682g of heroin hidden inside
tennis shoes.
(source: The Australian)
