Fri Nov 22 06:22:03 UTC 2024: ## Singapore Executes Third Drug Trafficker in a Week Amidst International Condemnation
**Singapore** – Singapore has executed a 55-year-old Singaporean man, Rosman Abdullah, for drug trafficking, marking the third execution in a week and sparking fresh international outrage. Abdullah was put to death on Friday for trafficking 57.43 grams of heroin, according to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The CNB defended the execution, stating that Abdullah received due process and that capital punishment is reserved for the most serious drug offenses, citing the significant harm caused to individuals and society.
However, the execution drew strong condemnation from the United Nations (UN) and Amnesty International. UN experts expressed grave concerns that Abdullah’s intellectual disabilities were not adequately accommodated during his interrogation and trial, urging Singapore to halt the execution. Amnesty International called the execution “chilling” and “extremely alarming.”
This execution follows the executions of a 39-year-old Malaysian and a 53-year-old Singaporean for similar offenses last week. Since resuming executions in March 2022 after a COVID-19 hiatus, Singapore has carried out 24 executions, including eight this year.
Despite its modern image, Singapore remains one of the few countries globally, alongside China and North Korea, to impose the death penalty for drug-related crimes. The country’s laws mandate capital punishment for trafficking over 500 grams of cannabis or 15 grams of heroin. The Singaporean government maintains that the death penalty serves as a deterrent against drug abuse, citing public support for the law. The government’s tight control over public protest and media coverage has limited public dissent on this issue.
First Piper 