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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Singapore: British writer Alan Shadrake starts jail term over book on death penalty

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Alan Shadrake (left)
Singapore - A British writer Wednesday began a jail term in Singapore on a contempt of court conviction for a book that criticised the death penalty in the city-state, his lawyer said.

Alan Shadrake, 76, lost an appeal against his six-week sentence and a fine of 20,000 Singapore dollars (16,150 US dollars), the heaviest sentence so far imposed for contempt in Singapore.

'Singapore has thrown Alan Shadrake in prison solely for exercising his basic right of free speech,' said Lance Lattig, Southeast Asia researcher at Amnesty International.

Shadrake had accused Singapore's courts of succumbing to political influence and favouring the wealthy. He based his allegations on interviews with a former executioner, human rights activists and police officers.

The Malaysia-based author was arrested in Singapore in July following the launch of his book Once a Jolly Hangman.

Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur, June 1, 2011

Related article: "British writer Alan Shadrake to be jailed for book on death penalty in Singapore", Deutsche Presse-Agentur, May 27, 2011

Click here to access Alan Shadrake's Facebook page.
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