FEATURED POST

Unveiling Singapore’s Death Penalty Discourse: A Critical Analysis of Public Opinion and Deterrent Claims

Image
While Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) maintains a firm stance on the effectiveness of the death penalty in managing drug trafficking in Singapore, the article presents evidence suggesting that the methodologies and interpretations of these studies might not be as substantial as portrayed.

UN: Halt execution of Malaysian national S Prabagaran in Singapore

S Prabagaran
S Prabagaran
The UN Human Rights Office for South East Asia calls on Singapore to halt the scheduled execution of Malaysian national S Prabagaran, and urges the government to immediately reinstate a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

Prabagaran was convicted in 2012 after 22.24g of diamorphine, a pure form of heroin, was found in his car at the Singaporean immigration checkpoint.

Under international law, the death penalty may only be used for "the most serious crimes", which has been interpreted to mean only crimes involving intentional killing. 

Drug-related offences do not fall under the threshold of "most serious crimes". Furthermore, under domestic law, the death penalty is not mandatory for drug-related offences.

"The death penalty is not an effective deterrent relative to other forms of punishment nor does it protect people from drug abuse. The focus of drug-related crime prevention should involve strengthening the justice system and making it more effective," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein has stated.

Several states called on Singapore to abolish the death penalty during its human rights review in Geneva in January 2016.

Prabagaran has maintained his innocence, saying that he didn't own the car he drove, and wasn't aware of the drugs being in it.

His lawyer N Surendran said Prabagaran faces execution within a few weeks.

Source: aliran.com, February 24, 2017

⚑ | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com.


Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!

Most Viewed (Last 7 Days)

California | San Quentin begins prison reform - but not for those on death row

Missouri Supreme Court declines to halt execution of man who killed couple in 2006

Oklahoma | Death row inmate Michael DeWayne Smith denied stay of execution

Indonesia | Bali Prosecutors Seeking Death on Appeal

Ohio dad could still face death penalty in massacre of 3 sons after judge tosses confession

China | Former gaming executive sentenced to death in poisoning of billionaire Netflix producer

Iran | Couple hanged in the Central Prison of Tabriz