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Singapore: Rights experts call for moratorium on the death penalty

News Agency nabakhabar — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:00:29 +0000

Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday called for Singapore to impose an immediate moratorium on capital punishment, denouncing the Government’s continued use of the death penalty for drug-related crimes.

They strongly condemned the execution this week of Tangaraju s/o Suppiah, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic cannabis from Malaysia to the country in 2013.

Fair trial concerns

Mr Suppiah, a 46-year-old Tamil from Singapore, was hanged on Tuesday despite claims that he had not been provided with adequate interpretation during police interrogations.

“The death penalty can only be carried out after a legal process with every possible safeguard that ensures a fair trial, including legal representation at every stage of proceedings and necessary interpretation in all oral proceedings,” the experts said.

Alarming executions rate

They added that the rate of execution notices for drug-related offences in Singapore was “highly alarming”.

Mr Suppiah reportedly was the 12^th person to be hanged since March 2022, according to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, which had urged the Government not to go ahead with his execution, citing concerns around due process and respect for fair trial guarantees.

The UN experts said States that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose capital punishment for the most serious crimes.

“Under international law, only crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing can be considered as ‘most serious’. Drug offences clearly do not meet this threshold,” they argued.

Discrimination against minorities

The rights experts also voiced concerns about the discriminatory treatment of people from minority groups, such as Mr Suppiah, as well as reports of reprisals against their lawyers.

Mr Suppiah was sentenced under Singaporean law, which makes capital punishment mandatory for certain offences, including drug-related convictions. The experts said the mandatory sentencing law strips judges of discretion to consider individual cases, context and circumstances.

“We reiterate that the mandatory use of the death penalty constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life since it is imposed without taking into account the defendant’s personal circumstances or circumstances of the particular offence,” they said.

About UN experts

The nine experts monitor and report on issues such as extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions; arbitrary detention, and minority rights.

They serve on a voluntary basis and are independent of any Government or organization.

They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

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Singapore launches vaccinated travel lanes with Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Turkey

News Agency nabakhabar — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:01:02 +0000

Singapore will extend vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) to six more countries next month, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on Friday (Nov 26).

A longtail boat at East Railay Beach in Krabi, Thailand (left) and Buddhist monks 
walking in the compound of the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia (right). 
(Photos: AFP/Mladen ANTONOV and TANG CHHIN Sothy)

From Dec 14, travelers from Thailand may enter Singapore under the quarantine-free VTL. Travelers from Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Turkey can do so from Dec 16.

This latest move will increase the number of countries with which Singapore has VTL arrangements to 27.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, these 27 countries contributed to about 60 percent of the total daily arrivals at Changi Airport, said CAAS.

“This latest extension will further broaden Changi’s network and help reclaim and rebuild Singapore’s status as an international aviation hub with global connectivity,” said the authority.

With the latest extension, the daily VTL quota will be raised from 10,000 to 15,000 travelers. Speaking at a virtual media doorstop on Friday, Transport Minister S Iswaran said that Singapore’s VTL quotas amount to about one-third of the total pre-COVID flows from these countries.

He added that the move was a “further calibrated expansion” of the VTL scheme and will reconnect Singapore with the world while managing the public health risk.

“Even as we continue to reopen our borders to secure Singapore’s position as a global business and aviation hub, we will closely monitor the global public health situation, especially for the emergence of any new variants of concern, and impose additional safeguards as necessary,” Mr Iswaran added.

“This is integral to our careful and calibrated approach to reopening our borders, and tightening our safeguards when warranted by the latest public health risk assessment.”

He also urged all Singaporeans and residents to closely track the situation in the countries they are visiting, and to be “well-informed and updated” on their latest public health and border measures, as well as to plan “well ahead” for contingencies.

Under the VTL scheme, fully vaccinated travelers on designated VTL flights can enter Singapore without undergoing quarantine. They are only required to undergo COVID-19 testing.

“The expansion of the VTL scheme to these countries will continue to restore two-way quarantine-free travel between Singapore and VTL countries whose borders are now open to us,” said CAAS.

“CONFIDENCE” TO EXTEND VTL SCHEME

CAAS said the “successful implementation of the VTL without compromising public health” gave it the “confidence” to extend the scheme to more countries.

All six VTL countries announced on Friday have “similar or lower COVID-19 incidence rates” than Singapore and the other VTL countries, it said.

Thailand, Cambodia, Maldives and Sri Lanka were popular tourist destinations for Singaporeans before the COVID-19 pandemic, said CAAS.

These four countries have already opened their borders to quarantine-free general travel for vaccinated people, noted the authority.

In particular, Thailand reopened its borders to vaccinated travelers from more than 60 places, including Singapore, on Nov 1. Cambodia reopened its borders to all vaccinated travelers on Nov 15.

Extending the VTL to Turkey, which is also already open to quarantine-free vaccinated travel from Singapore, will “enable us to connect with another major aviation hub”, said CAAS.

As for Fiji, it will reopen its borders to vaccinated travelers from 40 “partner countries”, including Singapore, from Dec 1, said the authority.

“The VTL with Fiji will allow fully vaccinated travelers from other VTL countries which Fiji has opened to, such as Australia, Canada, France, the Republic of Korea, the UK and the USA, to extend their trip to Singapore without quarantine,” added CAAS.

RECOGNITION OF EU DIGITAL VACCINE CERTIFICATE

From Dec 7, Singapore will accept vaccination certificates issued in the European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) format as valid proof for VTL travel, said CAAS.

This comes after the European Commission announced on Wednesday that it would recognize the Singapore HealthCerts as equivalent to the EU DCC, connecting Singapore to this “trust framework”, said the authority.

With this, travelers from VTL countries with EU DCC certificates – even if those were issued in a non-VTL country – will be able to travel to Singapore on VTL, said CAAS. These travelers must still meet other VTL conditions, it added.

RESTRICTIONS TIGHTENED FOR SOME COUNTRIES

Separately, Singapore will tighten border measures for six European countries, following the “worsening situation” in those locations.

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Liechtenstein and Slovakia will be classified as Category III countries from 11.59pm on Dec 1, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a separate news release.

Travelers from Category III countries are required to serve a 10-day stay-home notice at their place of accommodation, in addition to COVID-19 testing.

Belize, Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Panama, Peru and Uruguay will also be classified as Category III countries from 11.59pm on Dec 1.

MOH said it will also classify Thailand, Argentina, Kuwait, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan and Romania as Category II countries from the same date.

Those arriving from Category II countries must serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of accommodation and be tested for COVID-19.

UPDATE ON VTL TRAVELLERS

As of 11.59pm on Thursday, 79,335 vaccinated travel passes have been issued for entry into Singapore between Sep 8 and Jan 27, 2022, said CAAS.

This number does not include Singaporeans, permanent residents and children aged 12 and below traveling under the VTL, who do not need to apply for a vaccinated travel pass.

Just over 37,000 VTL travelers have entered Singapore as of Thursday, added CAAS.

More than 20,000 of these are short-term visitors or long-term pass holders. About 15,000 are Singaporeans or permanent residents, and about 1,700 are children.

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Singapore wants to stop counting Covid cases. Its roadmap could be a model for other countries

News Agency nabakhabar — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 08:07:20 +0000

As countries around the Asia-Pacific region tighten restrictions once again to curb potential breakouts of the Delta coronavirus variant, Singapore has laid out a new vision for life to return to normal.

The roadmap, proposed by three members of Singapore’s Covid-19 task force, would scrap lockdowns and mass contact tracing and allow for a return to quarantine-free travel and the resumption of large gatherings. It would even stop counting the daily Covid cases.

The proposal is a radical departure from the so-called “zero transmission” model adopted by several countries and territories — including rival Asian business hub Hong Kong — which have so far proved successful at avoiding large outbreaks.

But this “zero transmission” model, which requires stringent, often punishing quarantine measures, will be almost impossible to maintain as new variants spread, and long term is simply not sustainable, the task force members claim. Instead, they say living with Covid can be done.

“The bad news is that Covid-19 may never go away. The good news is that it is possible to live normally with it in our midst,” said Singapore’s Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, in an op-ed in the Straits Times last week.

“We can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease, or chickenpox, and get on with our lives.”

It’s a bold plan that could become a template for other countries looking to return to normal life and resume travel and tourism — and offer hope for frustrated residents eager to get their lives back on track after 18 months of pandemic restrictions.

How they’ll do it

The key for a lighter approach to the pandemic? High vaccination rates.

Singapore is on track for two-thirds of its population to have received their first vaccine dose by early July and aims to fully vaccinate that figure by August 9.

“Vaccines are highly effective in reducing the risk of infection as well as transmission. Even if you are infected, vaccines will help prevent severe Covid-19 symptoms,” the ministers said.

As more people get vaccinated, the way Singapore monitors daily Covid-19 infection numbers will change. Following a path similar to how it tracks influenza infections, Singapore will monitor those who fall seriously sick or how many are in intensive care units. Infected people will be allowed to recover at home.

“We will worry less about the health care system being overwhelmed,” they said.

With new, potentially more contagious variants posing a concern around the world, the ministers said booster shots may be needed in the future and suggested a “multi-year vaccination program” be established.

While testing and surveillance will still be needed, they propose conducting tests in specific scenarios such as ahead of large social events, or when traveling back from abroad, rather than to track and quarantine close contacts.

To do this, the ministers say faster and easier methods of testing will be rolled out as PCR tests take too long to provide results. Other methods “in the pipeline” include breathalyzers that take about one to two minutes to produce results.

In time, more treatments will become available for Covid-19. Already, the ministers point to therapeutics that are effective in treating the critically ill, and quickening recovery, as well as reducing the severity of illness and deaths.

They also say citizens will be urged to practice “social responsibility” such as good hygiene and staying away from crowds when feeling unwell to reduce transmission rates.

“With vaccination, testing, treatment and social responsibility, it may mean that in the near future, when someone gets Covid-19, our response can be very different from now,” the ministers said.

Other countries remain cautious

Singapore had been held up as a success story in controlling the virus, thanks to strict border controls, instituting quarantines and contact tracing as well as rules on social gatherings and mask-wearing.

It managed to contain earlier outbreaks, including a peak of cases in April last year. In May, a small cluster of cases was connected to Changi Airport employees, prompting tighter curbs.

The city-state of 5.7 million people has been averaging about 18 cases a day in the past month and has recorded just 36 deaths since the pandemic started, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Its new approach is a departure from other places that have been successful at managing the pandemic but have comparatively low vaccination rates and have recently reimposed tougher restrictions.

A variant of the Covid-19 virus known as the Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly in some regions and on track to become the dominant virus strain globally, health experts warn. CNN’s Michael Holmes reports.

Several Australian states put their capital cities — home to around 10.2 million people — into lockdown on Monday over concerns the Delta strain could spark significant outbreaks.

Australia was celebrated for its initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but vaccine rates are low. Australia has fully vaccinated nearly 5% of its population, compared with more than 46% in the United States and 48% in the UK, according to Our World in Data.

New Zealand said it was considering making masks compulsory at high alert levels and halted a quarantine-free travel bubble with neighboring Australia following an outbreak of the Delta variant.

And financial center Hong Kong, where vaccine hesitancy is high and only 21% of the population has been fully vaccinated, announced it will suspend passenger flights from the United Kingdom from July 1, over rising cases of the Delta variant there.

Meanwhile, mainland China may have administered more than 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, but it is thinking about keeping its borders shut for another year. The southern city of Guangzhou, a major international travel hub, is planning on building a huge quarantine center with 5,000 rooms to house travelers and Covid-19 close contacts over fears of the Delta variant’s spread, according to state-run newspaper Global Times.

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Singapore, Hong Kong to relaunch travel bubble on May 26

News Agency nabakhabar — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 13:13:05 +0000

Singapore and Hong Kong have agreed to set May 26 as the launch date of their travel bubble, both cities announced on Monday (Apr 26).

Stricter conditions will be introduced for the travel bubble’s resumption. This includes travelers having to remain in Singapore or Hong Kong in the last 14 days prior to departure, excluding any time spent in quarantine or stay-home notice.

Hong Kong also requires its residents to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before departing on the flights, with some exceptions made for children and those not suitable for vaccination on medical grounds.

Travelers from Singapore will have to download and install Hong Kong’s LeaveHomeSafe app before departing.

The travel bubble will be suspended if the seven-day moving average of unlinked community cases in either city increases to above five. It can only resume when the COVID-19 situation has stabilised, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

The travel bubble was originally scheduled to begin in November last year but was deferred due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong.

Under the travel bubble, there are no restrictions on the purpose of travel and no requirements for a controlled itinerary or sponsorship. Visitors have to take pre-departure and on-arrival COVID-19 swab tests and travel on designated flights operated by Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

“The COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong has improved, with very few local unlinked COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks. Community cases in Singapore remained very low throughout the time,” said Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT).

“The risk profiles of both cities are therefore now similar.”

Both cities will closely monitor the COVID-19 situation from now to May 26 and will proceed with the launch “if the situation continues to be steady and under control in both cities”, the ministry said.

TRAVEL BUBBLE TO BEGIN “CAUTIOUSLY”

The Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble will begin “cautiously”, with one flight a day in each direction, said MOT.

Each flight will have a cap of 200 passengers, with the numbers reviewed after the first two weeks.

Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said the travel bubble is a significant move between two aviation and financial services hubs in Asia.

“I am happy that Hong Kong got the COVID-19 situation under control,” he said.

“It has been a long few months, but the conditions are now ripe again to re-launch the ATB (air travel bubble). Both sides will need to stay very vigilant in the next one month so that we can launch the first flights smoothly.”

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau said the goal is to strike a balance between public health and travel convenience.

“The re-launch of ATB not only meets the aspirations of the people and business communities on cross-border travel but also signifies that gradual resumption of cross-border travel is achievable through mutual collaborations among different places,” said Mr. Yau.

CAN’T BE CERTAIN “EVERYTHING WILL BE SMOOTH SAILING”: ONG

The relaunch of the travel bubble was set on May 26 for a number of reasons, Mr. Ong told reporters on Monday.

Hong Kong requested enough time for its residents to get vaccinated before traveling. The lead time also gives the industry and travelers more time to prepare, he said.

Singapore will ensure that COVID-19 infections remain at a “very, very low level”, Mr. Ong said.

“You can’t say for sure that everything will be smooth sailing,” he said when asked about whether a recent spate of COVID-19 transmissions in Singapore might result in another round of delays for the bubble.

“Stop-start situations” have become the norm for such travel arrangements, he noted.

One of the factors that would lead to the suspension of the travel bubble is if the seven-day moving average of unlinked community cases in either city increases to more than five.

For Singapore, this number excludes cases in migrant worker dormitories, where more than 90 percent of Singapore’s coronavirus cases emerged last year.

When asked why this was the case, Mr. Ong replied that the risk of an unlinked COVID-19 case in the community was much higher than that in the dormitories.

“In the dorm, it’s a different environment. You can lock down the dorm. In the community, you can’t lock down a town. You can’t lock down Toa Payoh, you can’t lock down Ang Mo Kio,” he said.

The dormitories are under “very robust surveillance”, he noted, pointing to the movement restrictions still in place on migrant workers as well as regular testing against COVID-19.

Though Hong Kong requires that its residents be vaccinated against COVID-19 before traveling to Singapore under the bubble, there is no similar requirement for visitors from Singapore.

Mr. Ong said Hong Kong’s vaccination requirement is an “extra incentive” for its residents to get vaccinated, and that Singapore’s vaccination rates have been good so far.

Rather, the top priority for reopening travel is that the destinations that Singapore partners with are “safe”, he said.

Places where Singapore has already unilaterally opened its borders to – such as Australia, Brunei, China, New Zealand and Taiwan – are “natural partners” for future travel bubbles, said Mr. Ong.

He noted the Taiwanese authorities are now studying proposals from Singapore for such a bubble, as well as for the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates.

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