Letter to PM re: Nguyen Tuong Van

Written by Stuart Highway in Darwin Prison on Friday the 11th November 2005

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to you in this eleventh hour in the hope that you will intervene to save the life of Australian citizen Nguyen Tuong Van.

As Prime Minister of Australia you are in a position of power to influence the Singapore Government to stay his execution.

Australia and Singapore are allies and have strong military and trade links. You could use these to work out a deal whereby Nguyen Tuong Van could be brought home to serve out a life sentence in Melbourne, close to his family.

The death penalty is abhorrent. I once read of an American boy of 16 or so who murdered both his parents after a fierce argument on a camping trip. It was probably his youth that saved him from the death penalty. After serving years in prison he was released and studied medicine. He became a doctor. He devoted the rest of his life to helping the underprivileged and disadvantaged. He became a model citizen.

Similarly, I believe Nguyen Tuong Van deserves to live.

Please consider this option.

Yours Sincerely

Stuart Highway