Singapore's parliament has passed a law allowing certain prisoners convicted of the most serious crimes to be kept in custody after their sentences have expired.
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The so-called “tightened public protection measure” aims to incarcerate convicts indefinitely who are at risk of reoffending.
It applies to prisoners convicted of violent crimes, homicide, rape or sexual relations with minors.
This new law will “better protect society,” said Justice and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam.
The city-state of 5.7 million people applies strict laws, even for petty crimes such as vandalism, which can be punished with caning.
According to UN data, the murder rate is one of the lowest in the world at 0.2 per 100,000 people.
A court can decide whether to further incarcerate a prisoner who has served his sentence.
High-risk convicts are only released at the end of their sentences with the consent of the Home Office if it considers they no longer pose a threat to society.
The ministry will rely on a review commission made up of experts such as former judges or psychiatrists.
The Minister of Justice and Interior explained the need for this reform a few months ago and concluded that the law in its current form “does not make it possible to combat the most serious crimes”.