ladyarkles
03-21-2005, 10:28 PM
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 Government will successfully 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)
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 Government will successfully 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)