Furthermore, the abolition of the death penalty would better serve both of the stated aims in the ASEAN’s own Declaration, namely to « accelerate... social progress in the region ». It would also honor ASEAN’s statement of determination to « reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person ».
Consequently, FIDH expresses deep concern with the five member nations of the ASEAN who still practice executions, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. Compiling statistics on the death penalty is difficult, particularly in light of the laws in some member States which keep this information a State secret. However, according to the World Coalition Against Death Penalty in 2007 alone Indonesia had a minimum of one execution and in Malaysia twelve death sentences were handed out. In Singapore there were two executions and two death sentences handed out, in Thailand there were at least six death sentences, and in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam there were 25 known executions and at least 83 death sentences handed out. These represent minimum known numbers.
FIDH expresses deep concern with the number of offenses punishable by death in certain member States. In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for example, 29 crimes carry a death sentence, some of which include drug trafficking, theft, and various economic crimes.
FIDH calls on the Heads of State and Governments of ASEAN to ensure that the abolition of the death penalty is made a priority for ASEAN, particularly within the « ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community ». ASEAN should work to ensure that secrecy surrounding death sentences in these countries is lifted in accordance with the 2006 report of Phillip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, which stated that «those countries who maintain executions have a clear obligation to disclose the details of their application of the penalty ».
FIDH also calls specifically on those member States who have already abolished the death penalty in practice (Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, and Lao PDR) to use the various mechanisms and forums of ASEAN to establish a dialogue on the death sentence with those member States who continue executions, in the interest of fulfilling the ASEAN declaration of principles integrated in the preamble of the ASEAN Charter.
We sincerely hope that you will take into consideration our concerns, and we remain,
– Souhayr Belhassen
- FIDH President