We spend so much time, money and effort, in western society especially, trying to prolong life and prevent accidents, that to me it really jars to know governments such as Singapore’s continue to deliberately kill people.

Now, we all know Van Tuong Nguyen was attempting to smuggle drugs. A big load of heroin. He deserved to be caught (and we’re lucky he was). He pleaded guilty. He did it. He seemed sorry. He seemed to realise he’d made a mistake. A huge, stupid mistake. He deserved to be punished.

But a mandatory death sentence?

Would justice have been served with a long jail sentence? Yep, I reckon so.

Are the people who “employed” him still going about their business, with other mules? You bet.

Were there extenuating circumstances which should have come into play? Evidently, yes.

Apart from being out of work and desperately in debt himself, so was his brother, whom he was trying to help. He claims to have been threatened, and after being caught with heroin on him, willingly confessed to having more in his luggage.

Singapore has executed more than 400 people in the last 15 years, mostly for drug offences. Is it a deterrent? Apparently not, if people keep doing it.

Years ago, I lost a school friend to heroin. Nobody knew he was using it. I’ll never forget his mother’s grief at the funeral. And while the toll has dropped since its height in the 90s, it’s quite clear that heroin and other drugs remain a serious problem, and we should be fighting it rigorously.

But mandatory execution of hapless mules? I don’t think it works, and as it is, at yesterday’s service, Van Nguyen’s family were left to mourn yet another victim to the heroin trade.

Other views (some contrary):

• Kathy: drug users make a choice too.
• Suspira: They’ve made a martyr out of a criminal.
• Kristy: … killing him in one of the most inhumane ways (hanging) has established nothing!
• Amnesty International: Anti-Death Penalty Campaign
• Omeka Na Huria: He wasn’t carrying 26,000 doses. It was 6000-8000, enough for 6-8 addicts for a year.
• Highriser: I was silly enough to watch an online interview of his mother. At the end of the interview she broke down completely. It was horrible.
• Age letters