Fri Nov 22 06:22:03 UTC 2024: ## Singapore Executes Third Drug Trafficker in a Week Amid International Condemnation
**Singapore** – Singapore has executed a third convicted drug trafficker in a week, sparking fresh international condemnation. Rosman Abdullah, 55, a Singaporean national, was hanged on Friday for trafficking 57.43 grams of heroin. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) stated that Abdullah received due process and legal representation. The agency defended the death penalty, stating it is reserved for the most serious crimes, emphasizing the significant harm caused by drug trafficking.
This execution follows the hangings of a 39-year-old Malaysian and a 53-year-old Singaporean last week, all for drug-related offenses. The spate of executions has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations (UN) and Amnesty International.
UN human rights experts urged Singapore to spare Abdullah, citing concerns about his potential intellectual disabilities and lack of adequate procedural accommodations during his interrogation and trial. Amnesty International described the execution as “chilling” and “extremely alarming.”
Despite its modern image as a global business hub, Singapore remains one of the few countries, alongside China and North Korea, to impose the death penalty for drug trafficking. The country’s laws mandate capital punishment for trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis or 15 grams of heroin. Since resuming executions in March 2022 after a COVID-19-related pause, Singapore has carried out 24 executions, including eight this year.
The Singaporean government, known for its strict control over media and public protest, maintains that the death penalty serves as a deterrent against drug abuse, citing public support for the law. However, international human rights groups continue to strongly oppose Singapore’s use of capital punishment for drug-related crimes.
First Piper 