appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Agence France-Presse

The United Nations voiced alarm on Wednesday at the number of people being executed in Singapore for drug-related offences, saying it was incompatible with human dignity.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said there had been a general shift away from the use of capital punishment in Asia, and Singapore was one of only a few countries imposing the death penalty for drug-related crimes not involving intentional killing.
The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for drug trafficking above certain quantities, such as 500g (1.1 lb) of cannabis or 15g of heroin.
Turk pleaded in a statement with Singapore – and all other states still carrying out executions – “to impose a moratorium, as a critical step towards full legal abolition of this inhuman practice”.
Turk’s office said that of the 25 executions in Singapore in 2023 and 2024, 24 were reportedly for drug offences.
Last year, of the 17 people executed, 15 were convicted of drug-related crimes.
So far this year, eight people have been executed for such offences.
They include Omar bin Yacob Bamadhaj, who was executed last week for trafficking cannabis, with his family given two weeks’ notice.

The European Union, Britain, Switzerland and Norway had urged Singapore to halt his execution and commute his sentence to a non-capital one.
“At every level, the taking of this man’s life is both cruel and inhuman,” Turk said.
“The death penalty is fundamentally incompatible with human dignity and the right to life.”
Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the “most serious crimes” standard set by international human rights law, which limits capital punishment to crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing.
It also requires strict compliance with full due process and fair trial guarantees, the UN high commissioner for human rights said.
Singapore officials maintain that the death penalty has made it one of the world’s safest cities, and a government survey in 2023 showed strong public support for capital punishment for serious crimes.
While the overall global trend continues to move towards universal abolition of the death penalty, Iran and a handful of other states such as Saudi Arabia and the United States saw executions surge last year.


UN alarmed by Singapore executions for drug-related offences

Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

Singapore’s Balakrishnan warns Hormuz just a ‘dry run’ if US, China clash

Singaporean man charged after viral Lucky Plaza assault on Filipino woman

Singapore

Singapore at sunrise. The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for drug trafficking above certain quantities, such as 500g (1.1 lb) of cannabis or 15g of heroin. Photo: Shutterstock

UN rights chief Volker Turk said there had been a general shift away from the use of capital punishment in Asia. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (centre) during a panel at CNBC Converge Live with host Steve Sedgwick at Jewel Changi Airport on Wednesday. Photo: CNBC

Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on Monday. Photo: Reuters

A small boat is seen near a liquefied natural gas tanker in the Strait of Malacca on April 15. Photo: EPA

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has stressed that Singapore will not negotiate with Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Reuters

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia unite to secure safe passage in crucial straits

Small boats sail beside vessels anchored in the Strait of Singapore on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong speaks at a task force meeting on April 16, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Liquefied natural gas tanker ETYFA Prometheas passes through the Strait of Malacca on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Woman charged over Singapore crash that killed Indonesian girl in Chinatown

Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani died after she was hit by a car while visiting Singapore’s popular tourist area of Chinatown in February. Photo: Handout

Singapore’s Chinatown. Sheyna and her mother were hit while crossing the road outside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (left). Photo: AFP

Sheyna’s family celebrate her sixth birthday. Photo: Handout

Malaysian gets 12 years’ jail in Singapore for Caucasian ‘sugar daddy’ sextortion scam

People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. Photo: AFP

The so-called sugar dating trend, in which typically younger partners are offered money, gifts or lifestyle support by older or wealthier people in return for companionship that may or may not include sex. Photo: Shutterstock

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

UN rights chief Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ standard by international law


UN rights chief Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ standard by international law.


UN alarmed by Singapore executions for drug-related offences

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}UN rights chief Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ standard by international law

UN rights chief Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ standard by international law