International human rights lawyer launches website

One of Singapore’s leading human rights law advocates, M. Ravi launched his own website on February 15. The website serves as an account of his 16+ years of work as an Advocate & Solicitor in Singapore back when he was practicing as an independent consultant working on various international projects. Ravi says that his intention as a lawyer, author and speaker is to “benefit society with the knowledge and experience I have gathered over the years.” Aside from educating others through the use of an online medium, he intends to “capture new waves of legal discussion currently not adequately explored in Singapore.” What’s on the website His website, which can be accessed here, contains his publications, past cases, lectures, events, and videos. He also plans to begin a unique video channel called “RAVision” which will showcase various experts and engage with the Singaporean and international audience on legal topics and issues. “Through this channel, we hope to help viewers better understand their legal rights and protect themselves." The target date launch date for “RAVision” is during the first half of the year. Facts about M. Ravi:

• Founder of Singapore Anti Death Penalty Campaign (SADPC)
• A Singapore national representative to the South East Asia Public Interest Lawyers Group (SEAPIL)
• Succeeded in obtaining an unprecedented stay of execution in his last-ditch attempt to save a death row inmate
• Mounted a novel constitutional challenge against caning on the grounds of it being torture under Singapore and international law
• The last lawyer to appear with J.B. Jeyaretnam in court
• Managed to secure zero executions in 2010 in Singapore through constitutional challenges
• The first Singaporean lawyer to address the European Parliament and its Sub Committee on Human Rights on Singapore death penalty laws
• Succeeded in an unprecedented decision by the court to have a High Court judge recused (disqualified) from hearing a case

M. Ravi on the death penalty In a talk with The Independent Singapore, M Ravi shared his experience as a lawyer and human rights advocate. He started his profession in 1997 and handled his first death penalty case in 2003 of a Malaysian boy caught for drug-trafficking. After the boy was executed, a scandal broke out as it was discovered that one of the police officers in the case had sexually-assaulted a suspect. M Ravi called his first case "his own baptism of fire" which also sparked his interest in the death penalty. He said that Singapore had the highest number of executions so much so it had come to be known as the "Disneyland of capital punishment." He said that amidst financial and emotional obstacles, human rights must be fought for. By 2011, his campaign against the death penalty started gaining momentum and grew in local and international support making M Ravi one the pioneers of the anti-death penalty movements in Singapore. He said: The death penalty regime in Singapore is going through a new set of challenges. Recent news about the execution of a drug courier despite his cooperation sounds like the government is taking a step backwards. I hope our leaders will have the courage to admit that the death penalty no longer serves as a deterrent, which some Malaysian leaders have openly admitted to in their effort to abolish it completely. The change in Malaysia may influence Singapore to reconsider this cruel and inhumane practice as it will become increasingly difficult to execute Malaysians who form a significant proportion of prisoners on death row for drug offences.  I remain hopeful that the end of the death penalty in Singapore is not too far away.