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Singaporean man to be hanged for trafficking 1 kg cannabis in 1st capital punishment this year
The recent execution of Tangaraju Suppiah in Singapore, who was hanged at Changi Prison, highlights the concerning consequences of strict anti-drug laws that have often caused more harm than good.
Despite numerous pleas for clemency from Suppiah’s family, activists, and even the United Nations, Singapore’s authorities proceeded with the execution, citing adherence to due process and the perceived effectiveness of the country’s anti-drug laws.
Activists expressed valid concerns regarding the case, particularly the limited legal access Suppiah had during his prosecution and the questionable evidence used against him. Reports indicate that Suppiah was not found in possession of the drugs or during the actual delivery. Instead, he was convicted of abetting a conspiracy to traffic cannabis from Malaysia to Singapore in 2013, based on allegations that he coordinated the delivery through two traced phone numbers used by a deliveryman. Suppiah vehemently denied being the individual involved in the communication, claiming that he had lost one phone and did not own the second one.
Despite his defense, Singapore’s legal system imposes the death penalty for drug trafficking, and the judge determined that Suppiah’s role in coordinating the delivery rendered him ineligible for a more lenient sentence. In a last-minute effort, Suppiah’s family and activists made an appeal for clemency, with notable figures like British billionaire Sir Richard Branson calling for a halt to the execution and a comprehensive review of the case. Unfortunately, Singapore’s courts rejected the appeal, and Suppiah was executed as planned.