SINGAPORE WATCH : Barbaric, at Four or Six

Singapore, having rejected Michael Fay’s plea for clemency on Wednesday, promptly proceeded with the barbaric caning of the 18-year-old American, who pleaded guilty in March to vandalizing cars by spray-painting them. The flogging was disclosed only after it took place.

The Dayton, Ohio, youth was struck four times with a four-foot rattan cane. He remains in jail, serving a four-month sentence, and his medical condition was said to be satisfactory.

In what was called a goodwill gesture, the Singapore Cabinet intervened at the last minute to reduce Fay’s sentence from the original six strokes. The Singaporeans acted like rug merchants splitting the difference in price.

Authorities dismissed Fay’s assertions that he was coerced into confessing by threats of a beating and prolonged interrogation in a refrigerated room. This was the first time that the vandalism laws calling for mandatory caning sentences were used in a case involving private property; they were adopted in the 1960s to fight political graffiti.

The plight of Fay, whatever one may think about his alleged crime, puts in full view the dark, authoritarian side of Singapore and sullies the island state’s image of clean and safe streets. Its legal system needs modernizing. The world will watch closely how Singapore handles the other defendants in the Fay spray-painting case. Shiu Chi Ho, a 17-year-old from Hong Kong, has been sentenced to 12 strokes. Another U.S. youth, Stephen Freehill, 17, has yet to come to trial. The civilized world must keep protesting.