Malaysian national K Datchinamurthy is scheduled to be executed in Singapore on Thursday for drug trafficking, more than a decade after his arrest.
What is the Case?
Datchinamurthy, 38, was convicted of smuggling 44.96g of diamorphine into the city-state and sentenced to death in 2015. His execution, originally set for 2022, was delayed after he obtained a stay pending a legal suit against the Singapore government over his death sentence.
On Monday, Singaporean human rights and former lawyer M Ravi revealed the latest execution notice on Facebook, saying the Singapore Prison Service has allowed extended family visits until 24th September.
“Datchinamurthy is one of the gentlest souls I have ever met. His kindness and quiet dignity stayed with me long after our meetings ended”, said Ravi, adding that his case highlights the fragility of due process.
He recalled how prison authorities once forwarded Darchinamurthy’s confidential correspondence to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, an act later ruled unlawful by the court,
“Yet, he will still be put to death. I grieve for Datchinamurthy, for his mother, and for every family forced to endure this”.
Datchinamurthy’s case has drawn renewed attention to Singapore’s use of death penalty in drug-related offenses. Earlier this month, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) urged the Malaysian government to intervene on behalf of four Malaysians currently facing execution in the republic: Datchinamurthy, P.Pannir Selvam, S.Saminathan and R.Lingesvaran.
In January this year, the Singapore High Court dismissed applications by two King’s Counsel, Theadoros Kassimatis from Australia and Edward Fitzgerald from Britain, to represent Saminathan, Datchinamurthy, and Lingkesvaran in their appeals. The court rejected their bids to be admitted to the Singapore Bar on ad hoc basis.
Datchinamurthy was first arrested in 2011, with his legal battle spanning over a decade. His impending execution has sparked grief and renewed calls for greater scrutiny of the capital punishment laws, particularly in drug-related cases
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