Another 'secret execution' soon, Amnesty urges moratorium

Amnesty International Malaysia has condemned the impending execution of convict Yong Kar Mun, 48, who is believed to be set for execution within the next 48 hours.

Yong's family received a letter, delivered by hand at 2pm yesterday, informing them to visit him for the final time at 9am today, but they were not told when he would be executed.

"The lack of transparency around executions in Malaysia is a violation of international law and standards.

"Families must have sufficient time to prepare for the last visit and take any further recourse available at the national or international level. To date, they still do not know when the execution is due to be carried out," Amnesty Interntional Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshini Kaliemuthu said in a statement late yesterday.

Yong, who has been on death row since March 2009, was sentenced under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, which carries the mandatory death sentence.

He was found guilty of discharging a firearm during an armed robbery, but there was no casualty from the robbery. Another man who was involved in the robbery died during a shootout with the police.

'Consider more effective crime prevention measures'

Shamini said the imposition of the mandatory death penalty was prohibited under international law, which also urges that the death penalty only be served for the crime of intentional killing.

She said the mandatory death penalty arbitrarily takes away life, without considering the defendant's circumstances.

"Amnesty International Malaysia does not downplay the seriousness of crimes committed, but we urge the authorities to consider introducing more effective crime prevention measures that respect human rights, instead of continuously using one that has no merit," Shamini said.

"Amnesty International Malaysia calls on the Malaysian government to put a stop to Yong Kar Mun's scheduled execution and impose a moratorium on executions immediately, with a view to full abolition."

As of Feb 21 this year, 1,122 prisoners have been sentenced to death by the courts, Parliament heard in March.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 14 Malaysians and two foreigners were executed, between 2014 and Feb 21.

Fifteen of them had been sentenced to death for murder while the other executions were due to crime involving firearms, Zahid said.- Mkini