Singapore’s highest court to rule Tuesday on reprieve for Malaysian drug trafficker facing execution
- The case of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, who has an IQ of 69, this week garnered global attention after protests by anti-death penalty activists
- He was originally slated to hang on November 10. The Court of Appeal will now decide whether the latest bid to commute his sentence is merited
Singapore’s highest court will on Tuesday make an 11th-hour ruling on whether to grant a stay of execution for a convicted Malaysian drug trafficker who is facing imminent execution, following a constitutional challenge that claimed the death sentence violated the 33-year-old man’s fundamental rights.
The Court of Appeal will convene on Tuesday to hear the case of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, said anti-death penalty activist and journalist Kirsten Han on Twitter.
The urgent convening of the country’s highest judicial body follows a High Court judge’s dismissal on Monday of an originating summons that sought to stay the Malaysian national’s scheduled execution on Wednesday.
“The appeal for the application dismissed today has been set for 2.30pm tomorrow, alongside the hearing for a second motion asking for Nagen to be assessed by psychiatrists. If both are dismissed ... the execution will proceed as scheduled,” Han wrote.
The case of Nagaenthran, who has an IQ of 69, has in recent days garnered international attention after anti-death penalty activists charged that Singapore authorities were callously proceeding with the execution.