Singapore executes man for ‘conspiring to traffic’ cannabis
Singapore executed a man who had conspired to traffic cannabis, despite clemency pleas from his family, activists, and the United Nations.
Singapore has one of the toughest anti-drug laws in the world. It claims that the laws are necessary to deterrent to drug crime, a significant issue across South-East Asia.
Tangaraju Suppiah was hanged in the dawn of Wednesday, April 26, over a conspiracy to smuggle 35oz (1kg) of marijuana.
Activists claimed that he was convicted based on weak evidence, and had received limited legal assistance during his trial.
Singapore authorities, however, said that he was given a fair hearing and criticized those who questioned court decisions.
On Wednesday, Tangaraju Suppiah’s family gathered at Changi Prison near the city’s airport in the east to receive his body.
Last year Singapore hanged 11 people, all on drug charges – including an intellectually impaired man convicted of trafficking three tablespoons of heroin.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s neighboring country Malaysia abolished mandatory death penalties earlier this month, saying it was not an effective deterrent to crime.
