UN rights office calls for Singapore stay of execution for Malaysia nationals — Global Issues
The imminent execution of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam and Datchinamurthy Kataiah, the United Nations rights office said in a statementbefore pointing to an “alarming acceleration in enforcement announcements” in Singapore, since the start of the year.
OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that Mr. Dharmalingam was arrested in 2009 and convicted of drug trafficking.
His family was informed just last week that he would be executed this Wednesday.
Multiple appeals alleging that he was mentally retarded were dismissed and requests for leniency were deniedMs. Shamdasani explained.
The second prisoner to face execution, Mr. Kataiah, was arrested in 2011 and convicted of trafficking diamorphine into Singapore. Last week, his family received word that he would be executed on Friday.
Death penalty
After a more than two-year pause, on 30 March, Singapore executed Abdul Kahar bin Othman, after being convicted of drug-related offenses.
Today, at least three other men found guilty of drug-related offenses risk the death penalty, OHCHR warned, identifying them as Roslan bin Bakar, Rosman bin Abdullah and Pannir Selvam Pranthaman.
Outside, More than 50 people are believed to have been executed in Singapore.
Abolition motivation
According to United Nations Human Rights CommissionAbout 170 States have abolished or banned the use of the death penalty, either in law or in practice.
Despite this growing trend, the independent UN-appointed committee explained that a small number of countries still hold back executions, largely because they believe they deter crime. Some countries also still allow the death penalty for crimes other than extremely serious crimes involving intentional homicide, including drug-related or terrorist offenses, the Commission said. .
“More needs to be done,” according to their website, which says that the complete abolition of the death penalty “is necessary for the promotion of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. “.
Such a move would be consistent with resolutions of the General Assembly, Member States as mentioned, civil society, the United Nations Special procedure The Interpretation Committee and others have lobbied for a moratorium on the death penalty and eventual abolition of the death penalty worldwide.
Incompatible with international law
Recalling that message, Ms. Shamdasani emphasized that Sentencing a person to death for drug-related crimes is “inconsistent with international human rights law,” adding that states that have not yet abolished the death penalty should impose it only on “the most serious crimes,” which are generally understood to be extremely serious crimes involving intentional homicide.
Swap call
“We urge the Singapore authorities to immediately stop the implementation planto consider the level [Mr.] Dharmalingham and [Mr.] Kataiah was lenient, and reduced their sentence to prison,” said Ms. Shamdasani.
The OHCHR also called on the Singapore authorities to reconsider their longstanding position on the death penalty, citing “a growing body of evidence that it has no deterrent effect”, and consider implementing moratorium on all death sentences, pending reconsideration.