Singapore carried out the execution of Mohammed Aziz Hussain, a 56-year-old citizen, on Wednesday, sentencing him to death for drug trafficking. He was found guilty of trafficking approximately 50 grams (1.75 ounces) of heroin in 2018.
Adding to the controversy, a 45-year-old Singaporean woman, Saridewi Djamani, is scheduled to be hanged on Friday for trafficking around 30 grams (1.05 ounces) of heroin. If executed, she will be the first woman to face capital punishment in Singapore in 19 years, since the execution of 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen in 2004, also for drug trafficking.
These upcoming executions have sparked renewed calls to abolish capital punishment in Singapore, with human rights organizations and activists urging the government to halt the practice. Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary-general of the International Federation of Human Rights, expressed deep concern over the clear violation of the right to life in Singapore’s strict enforcement of drug policies.
Since resuming hangings in March 2022, Singapore has executed 15 individuals for drug offenses, averaging one execution per month. The mandatory death penalty applies to both citizens and foreigners convicted of trafficking more than 500 grams (17.64 ounces) of cannabis and 15 grams (0.53 ounces) of heroin.
Various international bodies, including the United Nations and British business magnate Richard Branson, have appealed to Singapore to reconsider the use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses, arguing that mounting evidence suggests its ineffectiveness as a deterrent. However, Singaporean authorities maintain that due process is guaranteed for all prisoners, and they emphasize the role of capital punishment in curbing drug demand and supply.
Highlighting a troubling pattern, Transformative Justice Collective and other groups noted that Singapore’s stringent drug policies often target low-level traffickers and couriers from marginalized groups with intersecting vulnerabilities, rather than dismantling drug cartels.
As many countries worldwide move away from capital punishment, Singapore faces calls to join this global trend. Neighboring Thailand has legalized cannabis, and Malaysia recently abolished the mandatory death penalty for serious crimes. Human rights groups urge Singapore to adopt more humane measures to address drug trafficking instead of resorting to executions.
