Foreigners must respect foreign laws

Van Nguyen, 25, of Australia was hanged in Singapore last week for trafficking nearly 400… Van Nguyen, 25, of Australia was hanged in Singapore last week for trafficking nearly 400 grams of heroin. His attempt to export the drug is considered by the Singapore government to be a very serious offense, so much so that Singapore’s drug code requires a mandatory execution for the crime.

Nguyen was caught in 2002 for his offense, was in the custody of the Singapore government for three years and was executed on Thursday. He, his family and the Australian government fought to save Nguyen’s life to no avail.

The media has painted a distorted picture of who Nguyen really was. They made him appear to be a murdered innocent – a martyr of sorts. It’s certainly acceptable for the media to represent his case. After all, he was tried in a country highly unsympathetic to his actions. He wasn’t given a fair trial by the standards of his own country.

The external defense of Nguyen is actually moot in many ways. Singapore and Australia are radically different countries with different sets of laws. Singapore is an autonomous country with the authority to rule itself any way it and its citizens choose. Outsiders do not have the right to interfere, especially on matters that are supported by the people of Singapore. Its drug code is not disputed by the majority of Singapore’s citizens.

Australian activists have tried to destroy Singapore’s credibility as a valuable commerce nation through this recent disagreement. There are those that say Singapore should be boycotted, stripped of trade privileges and denied the benefits of Australian tourists. Their argument: Singapore’s death penalty laws are barbaric.

How can these activists call Singapore a barbaric nation without including the United States in their attack? Isn’t the United States led by a president that has done nothing to prevent the execution of several mentally retarded individuals?

Not enough attention was paid to the fact that the death penalty for drug trafficking is widely advertised to travelers. Visitors to Singapore are told of the death penalty before they leave; they are notified all throughout the airport before boarding their flights; they are even shown a video on the plane that details potential consequences of violating customary law.

Nguyen had the chance to back down. He knew the risks well, and he knew that they were potentially fatal. I am not in the place to judge his motives since I do not know his thoughts, though he has said that he committed the crime only out of financial despair. Still, that is no excuse for trafficking illicit drugs through a country known for its harsh stance against them.

I sympathize with people who make mistakes. There is no one on earth who is absolutely flawless. Still, I do ask that people admit to the consequences of their conscious choices.

Singapore chose its drug laws for a reason. The Singapore method, in their opinion, is effective in curbing the use and distribution of dangerous drugs. Although I agree with their end, I do not agree with the means that they use: violence and fear.

Still, entering Singapore is clearly a conscious choice. If you do not want to be subject to foreign laws, don’t go to foreign countries. It’s that simple. Otherwise, be prepared for the consequences.

I would have true sympathy for Nguyen had he not been aware of the death penalty for his crime. But that information was available to him, so his death was his own fault. Nguyen went into Singapore with a strong intention of breaking the law. He was caught in Singapore breaking a Singapore law and was tried by their judicial system. Why shouldn’t he face the penalty prescribed by the laws of the land he violated?

Anyone – any country – has the grounds to criticize countries like Singapore. But trying to superimpose another set of laws upon Singapore or change its legal system externally is not justifiable. Singapore is no Iran; this is not a case of a helpless population being oppressed through the imposition of laws unwanted by its people.

Since changing foreign laws is a frivolous task, I strongly advise that one avoids breaking foreign laws while in foreign countries. It is unwise for Australia to send the world the message that it thinks its citizens are somehow above Singapore law.

Ironic as it may seem, I do not personally support Singapore’s drug penalties. I do not even believe that the death penalty is an effective or justifiable punishment, or discouragement to crime; it is a giant step backwards to the progression of human advancement.

E-mail Karim at kab85@pitt.edu.