In an unprecedented development, Yong Vui Kong received a second stay of execution by the Court of Appeal in Singapore on 8 December, enabling his appeal to be heard.

Without the campaigning of people like you, the stay would not have been granted. We need to keep up the international pressure for Yong Vui Kong.

Yong Vui Kong was arrested in June 2007 at the age of 19 and was charged with trafficking 42.27 grams of heroin. He was sentenced to death in January 2009 and petitioned for clemency from the President of Singapore but this petition was rejected on 1 December.

Singapore has a mandatory death sentence for drug-trafficking. This means that the court that sentenced him had no option but to sentence Yong Vui Kong to death. His lawyers are appealing on the grounds that this is unconstitutional and his case should therefore be referred back to the trial judge for "reconsideration".

However, if his appeal is unsuccessful, he may be executed.

Only the President of Singapore has the power to commute his death sentence.

TAKE ACTION

Send an email to the President of Singapore (s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg) and the Editor of Singaporean newspaper, The Straits Times, (stonline@sph.com.sg) by clicking on the SUBMIT button on right-hand side of this page. Your email will be more meaningful if you adapt the suggested subject line and text to suit your own words, remaining polite but firm at all times.

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Second stay of execution for Yong Vui Kong - watch the interview with his lawyer