Human rights advocates and public figures rally for clemency in the case of convicted drug trafficker Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam.
Singapore — An appeal from Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, a convicted Malaysian drug trafficker facing execution in Singapore, was adjourned on Monday (Jan 25). Ms. Violet Netto, Nagaenthran’s new lawyer, requested the adjournment, as reported by The Straits Times.
Nagaenthran, 33, filed an appeal against a High Court decision that denied him permission to initiate judicial review proceedings to challenge his execution. He also requested that the court exercise its authority to conduct a psychiatric assessment on him. The appeal, originally scheduled for January 24, now has no set date for the hearing.
Nagaenthran’s case gained international attention last year, with his execution initially set for November 10. However, it was postponed after he tested positive for COVID-19 on November 8. He has been on death row for 11 years and is reported to have an IQ of 69, suggesting he suffers from intellectual disabilities. Arrested for drug trafficking at the age of 21, he was sentenced to death for importing 42.72g of heroin into Singapore. During his trial, he claimed he was coerced by an assailant who threatened to kill his girlfriend.
Appeals for clemency have poured in from various sources, including Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, United Nations rapporteurs, and celebrities like British business magnate Richard Branson. According to Malaysia’s state news agency Bernama, Prime Minister Sabri wrote to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, requesting mercy for Nagaenthran.
Recent calls for his life to be spared have intensified, with British comedian Stephen Fry appealing to Prime Minister Lee and President Halimah Yacob for a stay of execution last Thursday (Jan 20). Human rights organization Amnesty International has also urged the public to sign a petition asking Madam Halimah to commute his death sentence.
The petition cites Nagaenthran’s sister, Sarmila, who expressed her anguish: “When I woke up in the morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about him and crying… Our family has been struggling since we received notice of his scheduled execution.”
On January 18, the Transformative Justice Collective released a statement urging the government to “Pay Heed to People’s Voice on Nagen’s Clemency.” The statement emphasized that proceeding with the execution would represent a significant regression for Singapore’s society and political culture. The group implored the Cabinet to advise President Halimah Yacob to grant Nagaenthran clemency and to foster evidence-based discussions around drug policies and the death penalty.
