Singapore, which has one of the toughest drug laws in the world, insists the death penalty is a deterrent to drug trafficking.
Singapore, which has one of the toughest drug laws in the world, insists the death penalty is a deterrent to drug trafficking.
Published on 07.07.2022 08:18 | Updated on 07/07/2022 08:26
Singapore on Thursday executed two people convicted of drug trafficking by hanging in what campaigners called “shameful and inhumane punishment,” bringing the citystate’s number of executions to four since March.
The executions came after the April hanging of a mentally disabled man sparked international outrage.
Singapore, which has one of the toughest drug laws in the world, insists the death penalty is a deterrent to drug trafficking.
Kalwant Singh, a 32yearold Malaysian, and Norasharee Gous, a Singaporean, were executed on Thursday, according to human rights activist Kirsten Han.
The activist told AFP that Kalwant’s sister received the death certificate and that Norasharee’s family took the body to a mosque.
Amnesty International called Singapore’s use of the death penalty a “blatant violation of human rights”.
Kalwant and Norasharee were convicted of heroin trafficking in 2016.
The Malaysian made a lastminute appeal on Wednesday, saying he had provided information leading to the arrest of a leading drug dealer, but the request was rejected by a threejudge panel.
Activists fear more executions in the coming months.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Home Secretary K Shanmugam defended Singapore’s position on the death penalty, saying there was “clear evidence that it is an important deterrent for wouldbe drug traffickers”.