In 1993, in Singapore, an 18-year-old boy named Phil from the United States was arrested by Singapore police for graffiti, damaging car windows, and theft.
At first, Phil didn't care about his arrest. He thought he was young and a foreigner, so he might receive a light sentence.
However, when the court pronounced the verdict, Phil was taken aback - he was sentenced to 4 months in prison, fined SGD 3500, and had to accept 6 lashes.
For him, imprisonment and fines may still be acceptable, but whipping is a heavy punishment that both physical and mental, leaving him shocked.
Phil became the first American citizen to be sentenced to whipping, and once reported by the media, it immediately aroused strong indignation in American public opinion.
Dozens of Americans have written to the Singapore Embassy in the United States, demanding a reduction in Phil's sentence;
More than 20 US senators jointly called on the Singapore government to handle this matter leniently;
Even then US President Clinton called Singaporean President Wang Dingchang, requesting a reduction in Phil's sentence.
With the efforts of all parties, Phil's whipping was reduced to four times.
Despite the decrease in frequency, these four lashes still brought unforgettable painful memories to Phil.
After returning to China, he was often arrested for crimes, but he never set foot in Singapore again.
As the only developed country that retains corporal punishment, Singapore's whipping has attracted global attention.
Whipping, as a form of punishment, is not uncommon in human history, but with the progress of humanitarianism, countries around the world have generally abolished this cruel punishment.
However, Singapore insists on retaining whipping and widely applies it to the punishment of various crimes, forming a unique whipping system.
Singapore's laws stipulate over 40 types of crimes subject to whipping, including robbery, vandalism, visa expiration, etc.
The person sentenced to whipping must meet certain conditions, including a suitable physical condition and be between the ages of 18 and 50.
No matter how serious the crime is, the person sentenced to whipping can only receive a maximum punishment of 24 lashes, and foreigners cannot be exempted from this punishment.
However, whipping is not targeted at everyone. Women, men over 50 years old, death row inmates, and transgender individuals are exempt from whipping for certain specific categories of offenders.
In addition, boys under the age of 18 may also be whipped, but the target of execution has shifted from prison to school.
In the whipping room, prison guards undergo professional training and take various measures to ensure the execution of whipping.
The length, thickness, and posture of the whip are strictly regulated to punish the offender to the maximum extent possible while reducing permanent injury.
During the execution of whipping, the prisoner needs to be fully naked, standing in front of the frame, and receiving whipping.
The interval between each whip is about 30 seconds, and the whipping officer must make every effort to ensure that each whip hits different positions on the prisoner's buttocks.
After completing the whipping, the wounds of the prisoners require long-term care, during which their lives will become exceptionally difficult.
However, for the Singapore government, whipping is an effective punishment method that can better maintain social order.
Although Singapore's whipping system has been questioned and criticized internationally, the majority of Singaporeans still support this system.
For them, whipping is an effective crackdown on criminal behavior and a maintainer of social order.
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