Government of Mexico to Campaign Against Execution of Brothers in Malaysia The Malaysian Insider
go to original April 24, 2015

Mexican brothers Simon Gonzalez Villarreal (third left) and Jose Regino (right, in white) arrive for their final appeal against a death sentence at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya April 23, 2015. The Gonzalez Villarreal brothers were found guilty of drug trafficking in 2012. (Reuters)

The government of Mexico plans to rally support from death penalty opponents to dissuade Malaysia from executing three Mexican brothers convicted on drug charges.

Mexico “will turn to various local and international groups opposed to the death penalty,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Malaysia’s Federal Court on Thursday upheld the death sentences imposed on Luis Alfonso, Simon and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal.

The three men heard the court’s decision accompanied by relatives and Mexico’s ambassador to Malaysia, Carlos Felix.

“We are in the final part of the judicial process. Today was a very serious setback,” Felix told Mexico City’s Radio Formula, adding that the defence team was considering filing a request for reconsideration by the Federal Court.

Once legal remedies are exhausted, the men’s only hope of avoiding the noose would be a royal pardon.

Felix said that the sultan of Johor, where the men were convicted, could substitute a prison sentence for the death penalty on “strictly humanitarian grounds”.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy where traditional monarchs in the country’s various regions retain certain powers.

Read the rest at The Malaysian Insider

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