It’s totally deplorable. This piece of news has definitely shattered the hearts of Malaysians and surely the victim’s family right now!
Lawyer M. Ravi has revealed that Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, the 34-year-old disabled Malaysian man will be executed next Wednesday (27th April 2022). Despite arguing and defending his client, it’s really saddening to get the confirmation from the lawyer himself.
“Just received the heartbreaking news that Nagenthran will be hanged next Wednesday!”
“The Singapore government will never be able to recover from the disgrace it’s going to face internationally in hanging an intellectually disabled person,” he stated in his Facebook post.
"The Singapore state will never be able to recover from the disgrace it’s going to face internationally in hanging an intellectually disabled person." https://t.co/RpvPhCf6T3
— M.Ravi (@MRavilaw) April 20, 2022
According to AFP, his sister Sarmila Dharmalingam stated that the family members including his mother and three siblings, will travel to the city-state to see him beforehand.
Despite arguing for his client thoroughly, M Ravi is now urging Putrajaya to bring the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to stop the execution. Ravi stated while Singapore was not obliged to follow the orders of the ICJ, there was a chance it would do so in this case.
“The government should apply to the ICJ to set aside the Singapore court’s decision, as Malaysia has the power under international human rights law and customary law.”
Earlier, the mentally challenged young man lost his high-profile appeal against a pending execution in Singapore, dismissing an argument put forward by his legal team that he should be spared because he was mentally impaired. The final decision was made by the judge panel in Singapore’s top court, the Court of Appeal on (29th March 2022).
Nagaenthran was caught at the age of 21 after being convicted of drug smuggling for crossing into Singapore from Malaysia with 43g (1.5oz) heroin strapped onto his left thigh in 2009.
During his trial, he initially said he was coerced into carrying the drugs, but later said he had committed the offence because he needed money. The court said his initial defence was “fabricated”. He was eventually sentenced to death by hanging. In 2015, he appealed to have his sentence commuted to life in prison on the basis that he suffered from an intellectual disability.
In 2017 one psychiatrist, Dr Ken Ung said that Nagaenthran suffered from a mild intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a drinking disorder – all of which would have “significantly affected his judgement [and] decision making”. In cross-examination, Dr Ung appeared to contradict himself and said Nagaenthran could instead be suffering from borderline intellectual functioning.
According to Singapore’s laws, those caught carrying more than 15g of heroin will be subject to the death penalty. As we all know the case has drawn global attention and advocacy by the Virgin Group founder and billionaire Richard Branson and also our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had joined rights groups in calling for the prisoner to be spared capital punishment because of his low IQ of 69.
Since the announcement of the execution, Malaysians and Singaporeans have initiated a campaign aptly titled ‘Candlelight Vigil For Nagen’ on 25th April 2022 at Hong Lim Park, Singapore (7pm-10pm). It’s a team effort and can also be mentioned as the FINAL voice from the public to help Nagaenthran from being executed by the Singapore High Court.
https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1516782950511431682?s=20&t=yrITzBWkyxjtL_tBkcgwRA
There'll be a vigil for Nagen on 25 April (Monday). Will we see you at Hong Lim Park? #SaveNagaenthran #AbolishDeathPenalty pic.twitter.com/Ql5DxqGFoX
— Transformative Justice Collective (@tjc_singapore) April 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1516662257958424576?s=20&t=yrITzBWkyxjtL_tBkcgwRA
On the other hand, social media users have been actively commenting and urging the public to join the campaign via signing in the petition below:
Please sign and share to STOP the April 27th execution of an intellectually disabled man for DRUG charges in Singapore – #savenagaenthran !https://t.co/E6cMS3dQjy
— L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty (@Jews4Abolition) April 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1516682836790870022?s=20&t=yrITzBWkyxjtL_tBkcgwRA
He talks about going home to his family & sharing home-cooked meals with them.
The heart-breaking fact that he does not fully understand he faces execution further demonstrates that he lacks the mental competency to be executed.
President Halimah Yacob, please #SaveNagaenthran
— Reprieve (@Reprieve) April 20, 2022
Nagaenthran Dharmalingam's family in #Malaysia has been told that his execution will take place in #Singapore next Wednesday, 27 April https://t.co/KDHdFTXjPV #NotInMyName #savenagaenthran #StopTheExecution #AbolishTheDeathPenalty pic.twitter.com/bqzBrUdYNU
— Amnesty Ely City (@amnestyelycity) April 20, 2022
Let’s hope and pray that there’ll be some sort of miracle to halt the execution all together!
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