Activists condemn death penalty as Singapore set to execute woman for first time in almost 20 years

Singapore has clung firmly to the death penalty despite growing calls for the city-state to halt drug-related executions. Credit: AP

By Elaine McCallig, ITV News Digital Content Producer

Human rights groups have called for Singapore to "consign the death penalty to the history books" in light of two reportedly planned executions due to take place this week.

Saridewi binte Djamani, 45, is the first woman in almost 20 years to face execution in the southeast Asian city-state after being convicted of trafficking 30g of heroin, according to Singapore-based activist group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).

Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, 56, is also due to be executed for trafficking 50g of the same drug.

They were both sentenced to death after their convictions in 2018.

Ms Djamani claimed she was unable to give accurate statements to the police due to suffering symptoms of drug withdrawals, but this was dismissed by the judge, TSJ says.

Mr Hussain argued he was coerced into making certain admissions and he had been promised a reduced non-capital charge, but this was also dismissed by the court, according to the group.

If the executions go ahead, it will bring the total number of people executed for drug offences to 15 since 30 March 2022 - an average of one execution a month.

Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, who had intellectual disabilities, was executed for drug trafficking last April Credit: AP

Amnesty International’s death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said there is no evidence that capital punishment has any impact on the use and availability of drugs.

She called for Singapore to "consign the death penalty to the history books" and instead look at more effective ways of tackling drug-related harm, such as better health and social services and by addressing the underlying socio-economic causes that may lead people to engage with the drug trade.

"As countries around the world do away with the death penalty and embrace drug policy reform, Singapore’s authorities are doing neither," she said. “The only message that these executions send is that the government of Singapore is willing to once again defy international safeguards on the use of the death penalty." Both the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) - two UN bodies in charge of developing and monitoring drug policies - have condemned the use of the death penalty for drug-related offences and have urged governments to move towards abolition.

Globally, two-thirds of countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice.

Singapore is one of only four countries, alongside China, Iran and Saudi Arabia where executions for drug-related offences were confirmed in 2022, according to Amnesty International.

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