KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s highest court reduced the sentences of seven death row inmates to life in prison on Tuesday, in light of the country’s recent four-month-old repeal of the death penalty.
A new law, effective in July, grants judges to impose lengthy prison sentences of up to thirty years.
Previously, certain offences, such as murder and drug trafficking, automatically incurred the death penalty. Since then, the Federal Court has been reviewing previous death penalty decisions.
Legal representatives for over 860 death row inmates have submitted requests for the downgrade of their clients’ sentences. The initial set of decisions was rendered on Tuesday, affecting seven inmates, including five Malaysians and two Thai nationals.
Their death sentences for drug trafficking were commuted to life imprisonment. In Malaysia, life imprisonment is stipulated as a 30-year incarceration, with the possibility of release for good behaviour after serving one-third of the term.
However, the seven individuals had already spent more than two decades behind bars, though it remains uncertain if immediate release is imminent for any of them.
Despite Malaysia’s moratorium on executions since 2018, courts have continued to sentence individuals to death row. Azalina Othman Said, a minister in the prime minister’s office, lauded the Federal Court’s decision as a “historic day” for the nation.
She further said that this development underscores the commitment to the principle of restorative justice within Malaysia’s criminal justice system. Azalina also emphasized that the success reflects the government’s dedication to promoting and defending universal human rights.
The Federal Court’s deliberation considered various factors, including the age, health, and the number of years served by each inmate, in arriving at its decisions, according to Azalina.
