Singapore hangs man in second drug-related execution in three weeks

Singapore on Wednesday hanged a man for trafficking less than 3.5 pounds of marijuana, its second execution in three weeks for a crime that carries a much lighter sentence in most of the world.

“The death penalty is part of Singapore’s comprehensive harm prevention strategy, which targets both the supply and demand of drugs,” the country’s Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement. rack confirmation of the execution. It gave the man’s age, 36, but did not identify him by name, as requested by his family, or provide details of his crime.

But court documents show that Muhammad Faizal Bin Mohd Shariff was convicted and sentenced to death in 2019 for possession of about 1.6 kilograms of cannabis. Last month, Singapore hanged a man convicted of conspiracy to traffic about two pounds of cannabis.

Human rights groups condemned both sentences as grossly excessive, but Singapore has long taken a tough stance on drugs and shows little flexibility.

Since 1975, the country has imposed the death penalty on people convicted of drug trafficking. In most cases, the death penalty is given for trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis, 250 grams of methamphetamine, 30 grams of cocaine or 15 grams of heroin, according to the desk.

Most of the death row inmates in Singapore are tied to drug offences. Of the 54 people awaiting execution in Singapore, 51 are for drug offenses, said Kirsten Han, a spokeswoman for Transformative Justice Collective, which has campaigned for the abolition of the death penalty in Singapore. The remaining three are for murders.

Last year, Singapore executed 11 people for drug-related crimes. Only five other countries did, Ms Han said: China, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.

Before his sentencing, Mr. Faizal in court that he had intended to consume most of the cannabis himself, and only intended to sell a small portion. On Monday, he filed an appeal for a reduced life sentence, but an appeals court rejected it the next day. He was hanged 21 days after Singapore executed Tangaraju Suppiah for a similar crime.

While Southeast Asia used to be known for its harsh punishments for drug crimes, countries in the region have relaxed their stances in recent years. Malaysia has abolished the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences. Thailand has legalized marijuana.

Death sentences related to drug offenses in Singapore have sparked protests from human rights groups. In 2021, protesters urged the country to halt the execution of a man convicted of heroin smuggling, arguing that he should be spared because he had a mental disability. He was executed in April 2022.

Opponents of Singapore’s drug policy also say it has disproportionately hurt marginalized ethnic minorities. “It is deeply concerning that 64.9 percent of death row inmates are of Malaysian origin,” while Malays make up only 14 percent of Singapore’s population. wrote M. Ravian international human rights lawyer who Mr. Faizal had represented.

The argument to abolish the death penalty for drug offenses has gained little support in Singapore.

“The public is still largely in favor of the death penalty,” Ms Han said, adding that the opposition is hesitant to address the issue. “It’s too much of a hot potato for them.”