The death penalty in Singapore

Demonstrator against the death penalty. Vincent Thian / AP 

The death penalty in Singapore  

The call to Singapore: "Don't just take someone's life"  

Criticism has been directed at the Singapore government after this morning's hanging of 46-year-old Tangaraju Suppiah, who was convicted of drug offences, reports Time Magazine.  

Activists unsuccessfully appealed to the Singapore government to stop Tangaraju's execution, highlighting specific problems with the case.  

Suppiah's family was given just a week's notice before his execution and his sister reportedly urged the government to find other ways to seek justice. "Don't just take someone's life," she said. 

- Imposing the death penalty for drug crimes is inconsistent with international norms and standards, Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Council, said of the case. 

In 2022, a total of eleven people were hanged in Singapore, all convicted of drug offences, which triggered a wave of protests in the country.  

Protesters outside Singapore's embassy in Malaysia and a picture of Tangaraju Suppiah. AP / Transformative Justice Collective

Hanged in Singapore for cannabis smuggling 46-year-old 

Tangaraju Suppiah from India has been hanged in Singapore this morning local time, the BBC reports.  

Suppiah, who is the first to receive the death penalty this year, was convicted of helping to smuggle a kilogram of cannabis into the country. He has denied any wrongdoing.  

The UN Human Rights Council yesterday called on Singapore to "urgently reconsider" the execution, saying the death penalty violated international standards.  

Activists claim that the evidence against Suppiah was inadequate and that he was not offered sufficient legal support during the trial. 

However, the Singaporean authorities believe he received a fair trial.