Source: Amnesty International –
Amnesty International Malaysia is greatly alarmed at the scheduling of the execution of Malaysian Pannir Selvam Pranthaman in Singapore on Thursday 20 February.
The violations of human rights protections seen in his case would render the execution arbitrary and unlawful under international law and standards. We join his family and many others in urging the authorities of Singapore to immediately halt plans to carry out the execution; and the Government of Malaysia to make every effort to intervene and help spare Pannir Selvam Pranthaman’s life.
Chiara Sangiorgio, Amnesty International’s death penalty expert, said: “The alarming pace of executions carried out in Singapore since October shows a chilling determination on the part of the Government to pursue hangings. This includes for offences, such as transporting drugs in Pannir’s case, that must not be punished by death under international restrictions on the use of the death penalty. This is beyond reproachable and leaves Singapore among a handful of countries known to have executed for drug-related offences in recent years.
“We urge the Singapore government to immediately end its unlawful resort to the death penalty and immediately establish a moratorium on all executions as a first critical step towards abolition.
“We also urge the international community to step up pressure on the government of Singapore and help prevent yet another unlawful execution from taking place. There is still time to change course and prevent this cruel and senseless execution from happening.”
Pannir Selvam Pranthaman was convicted of importing into Singapore 51.84g of diamorphine (heroin) and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty in 2017. The judge found that he was a “courier”, involved only with the transport of the prohibited substance. While under sentence of death in Singapore, Pannir has shown great resilience and channeled his energy into creativity, writing heartfelt songs and poems that speak of the anguish, hope, and prayers of those on death row, many of which have been shared with the public through the Sebaran Kasih NGO founded by his sister, Angelia Pranthaman.