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Singapore has executed a Malaysian man convicted of drug smuggling after a courtroom dismissed a last-minute problem from his mom and worldwide pleas to spare him on grounds he was mentally disabled
SINGAPORE — Singapore on Wednesday executed a Malaysian man convicted of drug smuggling after a courtroom dismissed a last-minute problem from his mom and worldwide pleas to spare him on grounds he was mentally disabled.
Nagaenthran Ok. Dharmalingam, 34, had been on loss of life row for over a decade after he was discovered responsible of trafficking about 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore. Town-state’s authorities has stated its use of the loss of life penalty for drug crimes is made clear on the borders.
Nagaenthran’s household and social activists confirmed the execution Wednesday.
“On this rating might I declare that Malaysia is way extra humane,” his sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, stated. “Zero to Singapore on this.”
Nagaenthran’s supporters and legal professionals stated he had an IQ of 69 and was intellectually disabled, and that the execution of a mentally unwell particular person was prohibited below worldwide human rights regulation.
Singapore courts cited psychiatrists’ testimony that he was not mentally disabled and had understood his actions on the time of his crime.
“Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s identify will go down in historical past because the sufferer of a tragic miscarriage of justice,” stated Maya Foa, director of nongovernmental group Reprieve.
“Hanging an intellectually disabled, mentally unwell man as a result of he was coerced into carrying lower than three tablespoons of diamorphine is unjustifiable and a flagrant violation of worldwide legal guidelines that Singapore has chosen to enroll to,” she stated.
Nagaenthran and his mom filed a movement Monday arguing that it was unconstitutional to proceed together with his loss of life sentence and that he might not have been given a good trial as a result of the chief justice who presided over his appeals had been the legal professional normal when Nagaenthran was convicted in 2010, which the submitting alleged may very well be a battle of curiosity.
The courtroom dismissed the movement, describing it as “frivolous.”
His household stated Nagaenthran’s physique will probably be dropped at their hometown in Malaysia’s northern state of Perak for a funeral.
Singapore had halted executions for 2 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic earlier than resuming them with the execution of a drug trafficker in March.
Anybody discovered with over 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of heroin faces the loss of life sentence in Singapore, though it may be diminished to life in jail. Makes an attempt to scale back Nagaenthran’s sentence or get hold of a presidential pardon failed.
Malaysia’s chief, European Union representatives and world figures akin to British enterprise magnate Richard Branson referred to as for Nagaenthran’s life to be spared and used the case to advocate for ending capital punishment.
Human rights group Amnesty Worldwide stated in a press release that Nagaenthran’s hanging “highlights the deep flaws of the loss of life penalty in Singapore and the horror of its continued use.”
“The execution of Nagaenthran is a disgraceful act by the Singapore authorities – ruthlessly carried out regardless of intensive protests in Singapore and Malaysia and an outcry internationally,” stated Amnesty Worldwide’s Asia-Pacific regional director Erwin van der Borght.
In line with activists, one other Malaysian, Datchinamurthy Kataiah, is scheduled to be executed in Singapore on Friday. He was convicted of smuggling 45 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin from Malaysia. Singapore doesn’t formally announce its hangings.
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Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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