28 Apr 2023
28 April 2023
STATEMENT BY THE PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE IN RESPONSE TO THE STATEMENT OF SPOKESPERSON FOR THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RAVINA SHAMDASANI ON SCHEDULED EXECUTIONS IN SINGAPORE
1. We refer to the statement “Singapore: Imminent Execution” issued on 25 April 2023 by the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani.
Full Due Process and Fair Trial
2. The statement raised “concerns around due process and respect for fair trial guarantees” in the imposition of the capital sentence on Tangaraju s/o Suppiah (“Tangaraju”). We wish to clarify the following:
3. Tangaraju was accorded full due process under the law. He was tried in the High Court and was convicted of abetting the trafficking of 1,017.9 grammes of cannabis before being sentenced to capital punishment. Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act provides for capital punishment if the amount of cannabis trafficked is more than 500 grammes. The amount of cannabis that Tangaraju had conspired to traffic was more than twice this amount. Subsequently, Tangaraju appealed against his conviction and sentence to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal. Throughout the process, Tangaraju had access to legal counsel.
4. Several petitions to the President of Singapore for clemency were submitted but were unsuccessful. Tangaraju subsequently filed two separate applications to seek permission to review the Court of Appeal’s decision, but they were both dismissed for having failed to demonstrate any legitimate basis for the exercise of the Court’s powers of review.
Capital Punishment has Deterred Serious Crimes
5. In Singapore’s experience, capital punishment has proven to be a strong deterrent against serious crimes. For example:
6. Capital punishment also has a strong deterrent effect against drug trafficking. For example:
7. A 2021 study which surveyed over 7,200 people from countries in the region, from which most of the drug traffickers arrested by Singapore originate, had the following key findings:
The Severe Harm Caused by Drugs
8. The Spokesperson’s statement glossed over the serious harms that drugs cause. This is regrettable.
9. Drug abuse is a pervasive problem with severe consequences, not just for individuals but also for entire societies. The use of drugs has been linked to a host of social, economic, and health-related issues, including increased crime rates, lower productivity, and a greater burden on healthcare resources. For example:
10. Singapore cannot afford such a high cost to our society and our people.
11. Countries have the sovereign right to choose the approach that best suits their own circumstances. We shall continue to implement evidence-based measures that have worked well for us in the fight against drugs.