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Copyright © 2000 CBC
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Ottawa outraged over execution of Canadian
WebPosted Thu Apr 27 23:33:46 2000

OTTAWA - Outraged over her death, the government of Canada is taking diplomatic action against Vietnam for executing an Ontario woman convicted of drug trafficking.

Nguyen Thi Hiep, 43, was shot by a firing squad in Hanoi this week. Virtually no notice was issued ahead of time, and her husband and children said they were not allowed to see her.

The Toronto seamstress was arrested in 1996 on charges of carrying five kilograms of heroin in her luggage. Nguyen was found guilty during a trial in 1997, but maintained her innocence until the end.

Some North American agencies reviewing the case believed she had been tricked by smugglers, who paid her $100 to import paintings that contained drugs.

Lloyd Axworthy

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy said the government is reviewing all of its ties with Vietnam, and will not send its ambassador, now in Canada on business, back until further notice.

It's also turning down a request from Vietnam for technical assistance in its application to join the World Trade Organization.

And Ottawa has decided not to take part in ceremonies on Sunday that mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

On Thursday, a human rights group expressed shock over the execution. The Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted thought it had been making progress in its campaign to save her life.

The organization said there was evidence that Nguyen had been duped into carrying the drugs.

Toronto police were investigating the case, and sent files to Vietnam two months ago that might have helped Nguyen.

James Lockyer describes the efforts made to save Nguyen Thi Hiep

James Lockyer, a well known defence lawyer, said Vietnam promised to allow Toronto police to make the trip to Hanoi to speak with their counterparts. But the meeting never took place.

The case was the subject of an intense diplomatic effort involving Prime Minister Jean Chretien and other senior government ministers.

Rubin Carter, a man jailed in the U.S. for a murder he did not commit, met with U.S. President Bill Clinton and asked him to get involved in the case.

Tran Thi Cam

Nguyen's elderly mother was also arrested by Vietnamese authorities and accused of smuggling heroin. Tran Thi Cam, 75, is serving a life sentence in Vietnam. Family members are trying to get her released.

Sobbing at a news conference in Toronto, Nguyen's sons said they haven't told their grandmother about the execution yet because they're afraid it will kill her.

They also are having trouble arranging a funeral. Nguyen's body has already been buried inside the prison walls, and under Vietnamese law it must stay there for at least three years.



Nguyen Thi Hiep

Norman Hermant reports for CBC TV

Jasmine Seputis reports for CBC Radio


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