SINGAPORE: Singapore, known for its strict stance on drug-related offences, has executed a 39-year-old man convicted of trafficking heroin.
Mohamed Shalleh Adul Latiff became the fifth person to be hanged in the city-state this year, and his execution marked the third within just over a week.
The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) stated that Mohamed Shalleh was sentenced to death for possessing approximately 55 grams of heroin with the intent to traffic in 2019. He had been working as a delivery driver before his arrest in 2016. Throughout his trial, Mohamed Shalleh maintained that he believed he was delivering contraband cigarettes for a friend to whom he owed money.
The execution took place on Thursday, reigniting the debate over Singapore’s stringent approach to drug offences. Since resuming executions in March 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mohamed Shalleh became the 16th prisoner to be sent to the gallows.
This latest execution follows two others carried out just days before. Saridewi Binte Djamani, a 45-year-old Singaporean woman, was executed for drug trafficking, marking the first time in nearly two decades that Singapore executed a woman for such an offence. Additionally, Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, a 57-year man, had been hanged two days earlier for trafficking about 50 grams of heroin.
The United Nations has denounced these executions and called for Singapore to impose a moratorium on the death penalty. Human rights groups have also criticized the country’s stance on capital punishment for drug offences.
Despite international pressure, Singapore stands firm in its belief that the death penalty acts as an effective deterrent against drug trafficking. The country’s stringent anti-drug laws impose the death penalty for trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis or over 15 grams of heroin.
Critics argue that these punishments are overly harsh and that they do not address the underlying issues related to drug abuse and addiction. They urge Singapore to consider alternative approaches, such as rehabilitation and treatment for drug offenders.
Singapore’s reputation as a wealthy financial centre has not spared it from the controversy surrounding its capital punishment policy. As the debate continues, advocates for human rights and criminal justice reform hope to bring about meaningful changes to the country’s stance on drug-related executions.
